…Army kills 5, rescues 180 hostages

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

No fewer than 16 female residents of Adamawa State were abducted on Wednesday by suspected Boko Haram militants.

Those abducted include 14 women and two girls. They were seized in Sabongari Madagali, in Madagali Local Government of the state, Adamu Kamale, federal lawmaker representing the area said.

Local sources said some of the women were taken from a nearby bush where they went in search of firewood while others were seized from a nearby river while fishing.
A source said two women managed to escape the abductors by pretending to have drowned.

“The two women who are in real state of trauma told us that the suspected Boko Haram insurgents had a field day carting away the women when their escorts ran away for their dear lives,” the source said.
He said two vigilance operatives who escorted the women to the bush fled on sighting the heavily armed men, who arrived in their numbers.

“They left the women to their own devices as the gunmen were left unchallenged leading to the abduction of the women,” the source said.

The member representing Michika/Madagali Federal constituency, who confirmed the incident, said: “I just received the shking news to the effect that about 16 women have been abducted by Boko Haram.

We have been witnessing pockets of attacks contrary to the belief that security has been fully restored in the area. As a member of NASS (National Assembly), I have been calling for the deployment of security personnel but to no avail as the government seems to have relegated our concerns to the background.”

Police confirmed the abduction saying a team of officers had been deployed to the area to search for the abducted persons.

The Police Public Relations Officer of Adamawa, Othman Abubakar, said on learning about the development, the command deployed officers to the affected area to track down the abducted women and girls.

As the police intensifies search for the Michika/Madagali abductees,  the Nigerian army yesterday said it soldiers have rescued 180 persons from the grip of  members of the Boko Haram terrorists group following an operation carried out by soldiers of 7 Division Garrison and 112 Battalion, assisted by some members Civilian JTF. Five insurgents were also reportedly killed during the operation at Giltimari Baale

A statement by the acting director public relations, Colonel Sani Usman, said the operation was aimed at smoking out the remaining terrorists from their strongholds at  Menari, Bulamari, Zangebe, Maafa, Mijigine, Baale and Kaltaram villages in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.

In April 2014, 276 female students the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State were abducted.