KANO, NIGERIA: Boko Haram on Tuesday claimed it was behind the kidnapping of lots of of scholars in northwestern Nigeria, in what seems to be a significant growth of the jihadist group’s actions into new areas.
No less than 333 college students are nonetheless lacking for the reason that assault late Friday on the all-boys Authorities Science Secondary Faculty in Katsina state — lots of of kilometres (miles) from Boko Haram’s stronghold in northeastern Nigeria.
“I’m Abubakar Shekau and our brothers are behind the kidnapping in Katsina,” the chief of Boko Haram mentioned in a voice message.
Greater than 100 gunmen on bikes stormed the agricultural college north of Kankara city, forcing college students to flee and conceal within the surrounding bush.
Quite a few boys had been capable of escape, however many had been captured, break up into teams and brought away, residents informed AFP.
#BringBackOurBoys has been trending on social media for the reason that weekend in reference to an analogous hashtag used after Boko Haram kidnapped 276 women in 2014 in Chibok, in northeastern Nigeria.
The weekend assault was initially blamed on armed teams domestically generally known as “bandits”, who’re lively within the unstable area the place kidnappings for ransom are frequent.
The military has mentioned it has positioned the hideout of the “bandits”, and {that a} army operation was underneath means.
The kidnappings occurred within the house state of President Muhammadu Buhari, who condemned the assault and ordered safety stepped up in colleges. In Katsina, all colleges had been closed.
Tuesday’s declare of accountability marks a significant turning level within the advance of jihadist teams in northwest Nigeria.
Boko Haram, and a splinter group, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), are waging an insurgency within the northeast of Nigeria and are thought to have solely a minor presence within the northwest.
However considerations have grown of jihadist inroads into the area, particularly after fighters claiming to be within the northwest launched a propaganda video pledging allegiance to Abubakar Shekau earlier this yr.
Buhari has made the battle towards Boko Haram a precedence of his adminstration, however the safety scenario in northern Nigeria has deteriorated since his 2015 election.
Indignant residents heckled the Katsina state governor throughout a go to to the realm on Saturday, whereas protesters greeted a authorities delegation led by Defence Minister Bashir Salihi-Magashi on Sunday.
Osama Aminu Maale was one of many college students who escaped the abductors and returned to his dad and mom.
“There have been a complete of 520 of us that had been taken by the gunmen from the varsity,” the 18-year-old scholar informed AFP by phone on the weekend.
“After they took us away we stopped contained in the bus the place they made the older college students take a headcount. We counted 520,” he mentioned.
The hostages had been break up into teams earlier than Maale and 4 others escaped.
“One of many gunmen hit me repeatedly after I did not sustain with the remainder of the group attributable to my failing well being earlier than he let me path behind, giving me the possibility to flee,” he mentioned.
The Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009 in northeastern Nigeria earlier than spreading to neighbours together with Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
Since then, greater than 36,000 folks have been killed in Nigeria and two million compelled to flee their houses, sparking a humanitarian disaster within the area.
A regional army coalition has been shaped to battle the insurgents.
No less than 333 college students are nonetheless lacking for the reason that assault late Friday on the all-boys Authorities Science Secondary Faculty in Katsina state — lots of of kilometres (miles) from Boko Haram’s stronghold in northeastern Nigeria.
“I’m Abubakar Shekau and our brothers are behind the kidnapping in Katsina,” the chief of Boko Haram mentioned in a voice message.
Greater than 100 gunmen on bikes stormed the agricultural college north of Kankara city, forcing college students to flee and conceal within the surrounding bush.
Quite a few boys had been capable of escape, however many had been captured, break up into teams and brought away, residents informed AFP.
#BringBackOurBoys has been trending on social media for the reason that weekend in reference to an analogous hashtag used after Boko Haram kidnapped 276 women in 2014 in Chibok, in northeastern Nigeria.
The weekend assault was initially blamed on armed teams domestically generally known as “bandits”, who’re lively within the unstable area the place kidnappings for ransom are frequent.
The military has mentioned it has positioned the hideout of the “bandits”, and {that a} army operation was underneath means.
The kidnappings occurred within the house state of President Muhammadu Buhari, who condemned the assault and ordered safety stepped up in colleges. In Katsina, all colleges had been closed.
Tuesday’s declare of accountability marks a significant turning level within the advance of jihadist teams in northwest Nigeria.
Boko Haram, and a splinter group, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), are waging an insurgency within the northeast of Nigeria and are thought to have solely a minor presence within the northwest.
However considerations have grown of jihadist inroads into the area, particularly after fighters claiming to be within the northwest launched a propaganda video pledging allegiance to Abubakar Shekau earlier this yr.
Buhari has made the battle towards Boko Haram a precedence of his adminstration, however the safety scenario in northern Nigeria has deteriorated since his 2015 election.
Indignant residents heckled the Katsina state governor throughout a go to to the realm on Saturday, whereas protesters greeted a authorities delegation led by Defence Minister Bashir Salihi-Magashi on Sunday.
Osama Aminu Maale was one of many college students who escaped the abductors and returned to his dad and mom.
“There have been a complete of 520 of us that had been taken by the gunmen from the varsity,” the 18-year-old scholar informed AFP by phone on the weekend.
“After they took us away we stopped contained in the bus the place they made the older college students take a headcount. We counted 520,” he mentioned.
The hostages had been break up into teams earlier than Maale and 4 others escaped.
“One of many gunmen hit me repeatedly after I did not sustain with the remainder of the group attributable to my failing well being earlier than he let me path behind, giving me the possibility to flee,” he mentioned.
The Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009 in northeastern Nigeria earlier than spreading to neighbours together with Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
Since then, greater than 36,000 folks have been killed in Nigeria and two million compelled to flee their houses, sparking a humanitarian disaster within the area.
A regional army coalition has been shaped to battle the insurgents.