Suspected Boko Haram fighters have abducted 12 women in Borno State’s Askira-Uba area, the latest in a series of assaults that have rattled communities already weary from years of insurgency.
The women were seized around 5 p.m. on Saturday while returning from their farms in the Mussa district, local sources said. The state police spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the incident on Sunday, noting that an investigation was under way.
“Twelve females were abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists while returning from the farm,” he said, urging residents to remain calm. “When the investigation is concluded, it will be made public.”
A resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said the alarm was raised when relatives were unable to trace the women. “As a community, we have informed our elected representatives, traditional leaders, and security agencies.”
The abductions came just hours before a separate overnight assault in Magumeri, also in Borno State, where suspected Boko Haram gunmen stormed the town around 1:15 a.m. on Sunday. Travelling on motorcycles and firing sporadically, they set homes, shops, and vehicles ablaze.
Daso confirmed the attack, saying no lives were lost and security forces had restored order. “Unknown gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram invaded Magumeri, burning some houses and vehicles. However, no one was killed.”
Magumeri’s council chairman, Abubakar Abdulkadir Yaro, said local vigilantes, Civilian JTF members, hunters, and security personnel managed to repel the militants after a two-hour confrontation. But the damage was extensive. “Unfortunately, they set fire to residential houses and other property,” he said, praising the “timely and coordinated response”.
Residents described a terrifying night. “It was coordinated and planned,” said Ibrahim Hassan, who recounted waking to gunfire and shouting as people fled burning homes. He said security personnel remained in the area afterwards, promising continued surveillance.
In response to the latest attacks, Governor Babagana Zulum declared a statewide day of fasting and prayer on Monday, urging residents of all faiths to participate. In a broadcast, he said that while Borno had “witnessed a reasonable degree of stability,” the recent violence underscored the need for spiritual as well as security interventions.
“As people of faith, we believe our security strategy must be underpinned by prayers,” Zulum said, calling on residents to seek “divine protection against sabotage and evil-doers”.
He praised the resilience of communities and their support for troops, vigilantes, and the Civilian JTF, saying their steadfastness had been a “source of inspiration.”
Amid the renewed insecurity, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said northern Nigeria could overcome its challenges if leaders act with unity and resolve. Speaking at the Arewa Consultative Forum’s 25th anniversary in Kaduna, he insisted the region had the “capacity, leadership, and resources” to defeat insurgency if political and security institutions worked in concert.
“What is required is unity, collaboration, and a coordinated approach,” he said. “If other regions have overcome similar threats, nothing stops the North from doing the same.”
He urged governors to leverage rising revenues and work closely with federal lawmakers to secure support for key security programmes, adding that sustained dialogue across Northern institutions was vital for long-term peace.
“With the right actions and effective use of our resources, we will overcome insecurity and every other challenge confronting our region,” Barau said. “The North will rise again.”
