Boko Haram has abducted about 200 internally displaced persons mostly women, girls and boys in Borno.
Dozens of women, teenagers and children reportedly went to the outskirts of Ngala, a town in the central part of Borno near the Cameroon border, in search of firewoods.
The abduction took place last Thursday but was not immediately reported in Mauduguri, the capital due to poor communication facility in the area.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordination office has condemned the abduction, calling on Boko Haram.
“The United Nations strongly condemns the reported abduction of internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of them women, boys and girls, in the Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State,” UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohammed Fall said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said the abducted occurred while the IDPs reportedly ventured beyond the safety of the trenches around Ngala town.
He said the insurgents released unspecified number of older persons and children under 10 years.
He called on the abductors to grant the IDPs unconditional release without harm.
“I stand in solidarity with the families of all those abducted, especially children, and their communities and urge those who have abducted them to release them without harm,” be stated.
The UN chief also urged government and humanitarian partner to provide more livelihood opportunities for IDPs in camps.