Security personnel conduct more patrols and clearance operations in forest areas in a bid to stop the high number of abductions in Gajiganna town.

Five of seven farmers and residents, who were abducted by insurgents on Wednesday, September 6, in a forest close to Gajiganna town in the Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State, have been rescued by security operatives.

Two of them had already been killed in captivity by the time the security operatives found them.

Soldiers and members of the civilian joint task force were carrying out clearance operations in the forest on Thursday when they came across the insurgents and the abducted men, three of whom were farmers and the others residents.

Security operatives chased the insurgents but were not able to catch them. They rescued the men and took the two corpses back to the town for burial. They also seized various weapons, two bicycles, and an unknown number of motorbikes and cars from the insurgents’ hideout.

Ba Modu, who lives in Gajiganna, told RNI that residents of the town lived in constant fear because of the many recent abductions.

“There have been many abductions here. The insurgents abduct people and then demand huge amounts of money and food as a ransom for their release.”

Modu Aisami, also a resident of Gajiganna, said that since the abductions last week, security operatives had been conducting more patrols.

“We welcome the patrols because in recent months there have been many abductions and many residents have been killed. Some even fled to Maiduguri and neighbouring communities because they were so terrified of being kidnapped and/or killed.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO