FG raises alarm on planned Boko Haram abduction

The Federal Government alerted Nigerians on Friday about Boko Haram plans to carry out another abduction similar to the Chibok episode.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture said the sect plans to abduct students or foreigners in their latest fight for survival.

The statement signed by Mr. Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistance to Minister of Information and Culture, quoted the minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as saying that  the sect is cash trapped, hence its desire to raise fund through ransom.

The statement reads: “The Federal Government warned on Friday that Boko Haram terrorists, who have been beaten and put on the run by the military, are planning another sensational abduction of pupils/students or foreigners in a desperate effort to raise funds, through ransom, for food, medical and arms supply.

“Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the planned abduction is in line with the terrorists’ new modus operandi of focusing on soft targets, having being routed from their stronghold and their capacity to stage spectacular attacks substantially degraded.”


The statement said while the largely defeated terrorists have now concentrated their attacks on soft targets, like motor parks, schools and entertainment centres, they have been decimated to a level that they are now incapable of staging spectacular attacks like they used to do.

”The kidnap of the Chibok girls in 2014, which attracted global attention to the terrorist group, is what the sect is now trying to repeat, hoping it can find vulnerable targets, especially schools, or a group of foreigners outside the frontline states.

”The plan by Boko Haram is also part of an overall strategy by the terrorists to seek to negatively impact on the psyche of the gallant troops who have routed them (terrorists) from their stronghold and also give the impression that they have not been largely defeated by the December 2015 deadline given by this administration to effectively degrade the insurgency in the Northeast.”