Nigerian troops in Kala Balge area

On a day Boko Haram militants seized 14 women and two girls in a village in Adamawa, Nigerian troops  freed more than 800 people held by the terrorists in multiple villages.

The army said Thursday  that all freed  hostages were rescued in Borno state with 520 recovered in Kusumma village on Tuesday after a confrontation with Boko Haram fighters, and a further 309 from 11 other villages under the Islamist group’s control.

“The gallant troops cleared the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists hibernating in Kala Balge general area,” army spokesman  Colonel Sani Usman said in a statement, adding that 22 “terrorists” were killed.

Usman said items recovered included arms, axes and a motorcycle.

The military operations came on the same day that Boko Haram abducted 16 women, including two girls, in neighbouring Adamawa state.

“We received report of the kidnap of 14 women and two girls by gunmen believed to be Boko Haram insurgents near Sabon Garin Madagali village”, said Adamawa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar.

Locals said the hostages were seized in the bush while fetching firewood and fishing in a nearby river under the escort of two civilian vigilantes assisting the military against the Islamist insurgents.

“When the civilian vigilantes escorting the women saw the heavily armed Boko Haram fighters advancing on them they fled, leaving the women to their fate,” said Madagali resident Garba Barnabas.

Two women who escaped by jumping into the river and pretending to have drowned later returned to the village to raise the alarm, he added.