JUST IN : ISWAP abducts young girls in Borno

Teenage girls working on community farmlands in the Mussa area of Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State have been seized by fighters belonging to the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP).

The Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly,  Abdullahi Askira, confirmed the incident, explaining that the girls were taken while harvesting crops in fields within Mussa district.

Askira, who represents the Askira-Uba constituency, reported that 13 girls aged between 15 and 20 were attacked while carrying out routine farming activities. According to him, residents of Huyim had earlier been relocated to the Mussa community due to security challenges in their original settlement.

He said, “The victims are among those relocated to a relatively peaceful community of Mussa to earn means of their livelihoods through joint community farming.

“One of the victims managed to escape and had been reunited with her family on Sunday morning.

“But, the other 12 victims, mostly between the ages of 15 and 20 years, are still in the custody of the abductors whose whereabouts remain unknown.”

Reacting to the development, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), who represents the district, urged security agencies to ramp up efforts to ensure the safe rescue of the girls.

He appealed to residents of affected communities to remain vigilant, pray for the girls’ release, and continue sharing credible information with security operatives regarding suspicious movements.

DAILY TRUST