Boko Haram has struck again in Nigeria. This time the terrorist group struck a remote village, Garkin Fulani, only five miles from where more than 250 girls were taken in the village of Chibok. The Fulani are a semi-nomadic people who graze cattle. Nigerian officials originally stated that 20 women were taken, however village elders put the count as high as 40 women including mothers.
In this particular incident, Boko Haram militants entered the village while the men were off tending to the cattle. Twenty women were taken from their homes and loaded into pickup trucks and taken away, while a three man unit was left to garrison the village. A local official from the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria stated “This is not the first time women are being kidnapped in this area and only released when we pay cattle ransom to the kidnappers. It has happened several times. They come and go door-to-door bringing women outside and select young women and take them away in their vehicles and demand between 30 and 40 cows for their release. Locals always paid the ransom but do not inform the authorities.”
In what seems to be a running theme in the administration of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, officials claim not to be aware of the kidnappings. In the Borno state where the kidnappings occurred, a government official stated “This is the first time we are hearing abduction of Fulani women and we are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the kidnap and necessary action to take.”
