Troops Patrol Borno Villages In Search Of Insurgents As Military Investigates Claims Of Mass Abduction

Nigerian TroopsThe Nigerian military authority has said it is yet to confirm reports of alleged kidnap of hundreds of girls, women and children in Gumsuri village, Borno State, during the week by suspected Boko Haram members but says troops are patrolling the area in search of the terrorists.

According to a statement on the Defence Headquarters blog, “Troops are patrolling the general area of Gumsuri in search of terrorists who were said to have attacked the community last weekend. Although it has been confirmed that some people were killed by the terrorists during the attack, the reported abductions as claimed by unidentified sources being quoted in some foreign media is yet to be verified from any credible sources in the community.

“Some of the villagers who fled during the attack have started returning to the village. Normal life has also returned to the area. The surveillance and patrol of the area by air and land forces has been stepped up to secure the general area.

“Troops have been ordered to sustain an aggressive patrol over the area and the surrounding communities in order to ensure that terrorists do not have any freedom of action in the area while the counter-terrorism campaign continues”.

There have been conflicting media reports mainly from foreign sources alleging that a conflicting number of citizens were kidnapped by terrorists earlier this week but the incident only came to light on Thursday as a result of the absence of telecommunications.