Boko Haram seizes Chibok town in Borno state - hometown of kidnapped schoolgirls

Boko Haram militants have seized Chibok, a town in Borno State, where nearly 300 schoolgirls were abducted by the same group on April 14.

Residents of Chibok said militants attacked and took control of the Chibok Local Government Area Thursday night.

It is not clear whether any resident was killed.

The extremist group, Boko Haram, has seized several towns lately in Borno and Adamawa State, driving out government soldiers and other security operatives and confiscating their arms.

On Thursday, the Adamawa State governor, Bala Ngilari, said local vigilante and hunters, backed by the military, reclaimed Mubi, the second most important town in Adamawa, nearly two weeks after the town fell to the insurgents.

Chibok became the centre of international attention in April after Boko Haram fighters stormed the town and took away nearly 300 female students from a government secondary school.

Majority of the girls remain in captivity more than six months after. About 57 either escaped or were released.

A recent claim by the Nigerian government that a ceasefire had been agreed with Boko Haram and that the girls will be returned to their families, turned out false.


Credit: Premium Times