Nigeria Boko Haram Insurgency: Militants Kidnap 60 More Girls in Borno State

At least 60 women and girls have been kidnapped by gunmen suspected of belonging to terror group Boko Haram in Kummabza village, Borno State.

According to Nigeria's Leadership newspaper, the mass kidnapping occurred on Saturday but was not reported until a few days later.

Borno State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Gideon Jubrin denied knowledge of the abduction.

"Honestly the command has not received any of such report concerning the abduction of women or girls. But we will still investigate and if we get anything, we will get across to you," he said.

However a senior local government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the abduction took place.

According to Aji Khali, one of the vigilantes patrolling the area, "some suspected Boko Haram members invaded Kumanza, Yaga and Dagu villages and kidnapped 91 persons.

"More than 60 married women and young girls were kidnapped while the rest, 31 young men, were forcefully taken away by Boko Haram terrorists. Four villagers who tried to escape were shot dead on the spot."

The news of the kidnapping comes only two months after Boko Haram kidnapped almost 300 schoolgirls, while they were in school in Chibok, Borno State. Some of the girls managed to escape, but hundreds are still missing.

According to Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo many of the kidnapped girls will never return home, and those who become pregnant in the forest have the best chance of being freed.

Current Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has been accused of not doing enough to push for the release of the girls.

Boko Haram - which means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language - opposes the westernisation of Nigeria and wants to impose sharia law in the country.

Violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency has resulted in an estimated 10,000 deaths between 2002 and 2013.