Local leader Sambido Hosea Bana told reporters in Abuja, that most Chibok residents fled when the terrorists stormed the town around noon on the previous day, after they were forced to clear out of Mubi by groups of armed vigilantes.
"Nobody can tell you what is happening there today because everybody is just trying to escape with their lives," Lawan said.
"The insurgents arrived at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, shooting sporadically, forcing people to flee into the bush," the villager said.
Nigeria's army and government, under stern criticism for their handling of the Boko Haram uprising, were not immediately available to comment on the reports.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the US was monitoring the situation closely.
"We condemn these attacks in Chibok, a community that has already suffered too much," Psaki said. "We remain committed to helping the government of Nigeria address the threat posed by extremist organizations."
Boko Haram's mass kidnapping in Chibok this April prompted a global campaign to ensure their safe release, entitled "Bring Back Our Girls." Some of the captives were able to escape in the first days of the hostage drama, but 219 of the abducted schoolgirls are still missing.
Security experts say that Boko Haram controls 221,000 square kilometers in north-eastern Nigeria and has killed over 3,000 people since the beginning of 2014.

No comments:
Post a Comment