One escaped, 13 missing – Police speak on terrorists’ abduction of girls from Borno farm

By Hamza Suleiman

Police have explained how 14 girls working an a farm in Huyum, Mussa District of Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno state were abducted by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents while working on a farmland.

However, one of the girl was able to escape from the gunmen, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, the spokesperson for Borno Police Command said in a statement on Sunday.

Daso, who said the police have intensified efforts to secure the release of the 13 girls further revealed that the gunmen took away the victims on Saturday, Nov. 22 at about 3:30 p.m when they invaded the farmland they were working on.

He added that the District Head of Huyum informed the police about the incident.

He said that a joint team of police operatives, troops of the Nigerian military, Civilian JTF and vigilantes immediately launched a rescue operation in the area.

“During the operation, one of the abducted girls managed to escape unharmed and was rescued. Search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining 13 abducted girls,” he said.

The statement quoted the Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, as urging residents to be vigilant and cooperate with security agencies as coordinated operations continued.

While advising farmers and rural dwellers to operate within the coverage of security patrols and maintain heightened vigilance, Abdulmajid assured the public that further updates would be communicated as the operation progresses.

(NAN)