Mass abductions hit Nigeria again: summary
What we know
- Amnesty International has reported a shocking incident of mass abduction by Boko Haram in Borno State. More than 400 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), including women and children, were kidnapped from camps in Gamboru Ngala.
- President Bola Tinubu confirmed the abduction but did not specify the exact number of victims. Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, stated that the government is still determining the precise number of abducted individuals.
- Victims were taken from Babban Sansani, Zulum, and Arabic IDP camps.
- According to the U.N., although a small number of older women and children have been released, a significant number of IDPs remain missing. The U.N. strongly condemned the abductions, urging the immediate release of other victims.
- The new wave of mass abductions follows a warning from U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in January 2024, declaring Africa the "global epicentre of terrorism."
What they said.
Amnesty International Nigeria's director, Isa Sanusi, expressed concern over the effectiveness of President Tinubu's security measures, asserting that the latest mass abductions underscore the government's apparent lack of a robust plan to end the years-long reign of terror. Sanusi emphasized that the current security measures are not proving successful in curbing the increasing violence. "The latest mass abductions clearly show President Bola Tinubu and his government have no effective plan for ending years of atrocities by armed groups and gunmen that are increasingly having a free reign across many parts of Nigeria. Whatever security measures are being implemented by President Tinubu and his government are clearly not working," Sanusi is quoted by The Premium Times NG.
