In Borno, six civil servants, humanitarian workers, and others were kidnapped.

In Borno, six civil servants, humanitarian workers, and others were kidnapped.

Borno

In Borno, six civil servants, humanitarian workers, and others were kidnapped.

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NewsReport gathered that six civil servants and fifteen others, including an unspecified number of humanitarian workers, were kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists at different locations in Damboa, Borno State, on the same day.

Terrorists from the late Shekau faction have been operating on that axis for more than two years, but they have recently increased their activities in an effort to recruit more members following the surrender of thousands of them to the Nigerian government.

On Thursday, sources within the security architecture confirmed the attack to The PUNCH, while the state Commissioner for Works, Yerima Saleh, confirmed the kidnapping of six of his employees along the Chibok-Damboa Road.“It is very pathetic to inform you that six of my staff, mostly drivers, were kidnapped near Wovi Village while on duty along Damboa-Chibok Road. Likewise, three of our trucks including one of our Hilux operational vehicles were snatched away

“We have informed relevant security agencies with a view to intensifying efforts to rescue the victims unhurt,” Yerima Saleh stated.

According to the commissioner, the six members of staff of the ministry of works were kidnapped while supervising the construction of the 45km Chibok-Damboa Road.

Also confirming the abduction of fifteen other persons including some humanitarian workers in Damboa, a soldier said the terrorists mounted a checkpoint along Damboa-Adamawa Road on Wednesday while dressed in a military uniform.

“The insurgents were dressed in military uniform and mounted a checkpoint around Gumsuru Village along Damboa-Adamawa Road.

“They stopped many vehicles heading to Adamawa, abducted all the passengers who were mostly youths and the drivers of the two buses. We later discovered that among those kidnapped were NGO staff who were in one of the buses. The affected persons are fifteen in number but two of them were later released by the terrorists after taking them into Sambisa Forest,” the soldier noted.

“They have been terrorizing and abducting people from that axis for over two years now. The Shekau faction is the one that has been terrorizing Damboa, Chibok, and Askira towns.

“They have camps in Wajiroko in Damboa Local Government Area and have been collecting taxes from motorists and passengers ever since without any hindrance,” he added.

Ms Yasmine of the forum of international non-governmental organizations in Borno said she heard about the abduction of the humanitarian workers on Wednesday but she could not ascertain which of the NGOs they are working for as the identities of the abducted workers are yet to be ascertained.