Kano, Nigeria (CNN) -- Boko Haram
gunmen kidnapped at least 30 boys
and girls from a village in northeast
Nigeria during the weekend.
The abductions appear to be the
latest in a string of recent
kidnappings by Boko Haram that
dims hope for the anticipated
release of 219 schoolgirls held by
the group since April following a
controversial ceasefire declared by
Nigerian authorities.
Heavily armed Boko Haram gunmen
invaded the town of Mafa in Borno
state Friday and Saturday and
seized 30 boys and girls, local
leaders said.
The news of the kidnappings was
slow to emerge due to lack of
telecom service in the region, where
most telecom towers have been
destroyed in Boko Haram's
five-year insurgency against
Nigeria's government.
"In the past two days Boko
Haram insurgents stormed
Mafa and abducted 30 boys
aged 13 and above and girls
aged 11 and above," Mafa
local government chairman
Shettima Maina said.
Despite so-called ceasefire, Boko
Haram kidnappings continue
"They took them away to
their base in the bush, and
we believe they are going to
use them as foot soldiers,"
Maina said.
Mallam Ashiekh Mustapha,
the local chief of Mafa who
confirmed the abductions,
said the kidnappers also
stole 300 cows from the
farming community in the
raid.
The Nigerian government
has said Boko Haram has
denied involvement in the
kidnappings, but the group
has issued no public
statement on the issue.
Regardless, Boko Haram's
near-daily raids have
prompted an exodus of residents
from Mafa and nearby villages to
the Borno state capital of Maiduguri
to escape the marauding insurgents,
Mustapha said.
On Thursday Boko Haram killed 17
people in the nearby village of
Ndongo, which they looted and set
ablaze, Maina said.
"Many people have fled with their
families to Maiduguri for fear of
being killed or losing their children
to the insurgents," Mustapha said.
Maina lamented that the military
had done nothing to stop the raids
despite repeated complaints by local
leaders.
Last week Boko Haram militia
kidnapped 60 women and girls in
two Christian villages in neighboring
Adamawa state, according to
residents and community leaders

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Sourc is cnn.com