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MAIDUGURI. — Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram have reportedly abducted about 20 women near Chibok, the Borno State community where more than 250 schoolgirls were kidnapped on April 14.
The women, according to Bloomberg, a United States-based news agency, and The Guardian of London, were taken after the gunmen attacked a nomadic settlement known as Garkin Fulani at the weekend.
Bloomberg and The Guardian of London both quoted a member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Alhaji Tar, as having said the women were herded into vehicles at gunpoint and driven off to an unknown location.
“We got the information that they went there and took away the women at the time none of the males were there,” Tar said in the reports by the two news sources on Monday.
“The three young men they met there could not help the women, as they (gunmen) also ordered the three of them to enter the Toyota Hilux vans and took all of them away,” Tar added. The news channels also reported that three young men who tried to stop the abduction of the women were also taken away. When contacted by one of our correspondents, the Borno State Police Commissioner, Lawan Tanko, denied that the incident took place.
He said, “I believe there is no truth in the attack as I just spoke to my divisional police officer in Chibok. He should have informed me of the abduction if there was any.”
Also, the Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area, Baana Lawan, said, “When I saw the report on online new sources, I despatched some vigilante group members and hunters to the scene. They came back and told me that the place was never attacked and that no one was abducted.” Telephone calls by one of our correspondents in Abuja to the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade were not answered. He also did not respond to a text message sent to him. — The Punch.
Online Reporter