TheCable

Boko Haram insurgents have abducted 30 young people from Mafa, a village in Borno state, a local village chief told AFP on Sunday.

The abductions were said to have occurred over the weekend.

Shettima Maina, the village head, said those kidnapped were between the ages of 11 and 13.

Last week, the sect reportedly abducted about 60 people from two villages in Adamawa state and later resolved to hold on to the younger ones, releasing the adults.

Boko Haram has been known for kidnapping under-aged and conscripting them into their army of foot soldiers.

In July, a 10-year-old girl was arrested with explosive device in Katsina, while teenage suicide bombers have struck in Kano and other parts of the country at different times.

“The insurgents grabbed young people, boys and girls, from our region,” Maina said.

“They took all boys aged 13 and all girls aged 11 and more. According to our information, 30 young people were abducted in the last two days.”

Calling on government to address the ugly tide, Maina said many residents had fled the village as a result of nearly daily raids by Boko Haram.

Ashiekh Mustapha, also a resident of Mafa, corroborated Maina’s account.

AFP quoted both men as saying that 17 people had also been killed in a recent attack on Ndongo, another village in troubled Borno state.

Since 2009, Boko Haram has been perpetrating atrocities in the north, particularly in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, presently under the state-of-emergency rule.