Boko Haram Ambush and Kills Another 24

Members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, over the weekend ambushed and killed 24 members of a youth vigilante group who were on a mission to locate and arrest the sect in northeast Nigeria, a top security official told Associated Press on Saturday.

“The vigilante youths numbering over 100 were on a mission to capture some Boko Haram terrorists in their camps around Kaleri, Shuwari, Maganari and Nannari villages around Monguno’s local government area, before they were ambushed by the terrorists.”

Those who returned from Friday’s attack told officials that 36 other vigilantes were missing, the official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak to the media.

The attack took place near Monguno town, 160 kilometers from the city of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital where the Boko Haram ideology sprang up some four years ago.

Surviving members of the vigilante group, known as the Civilian Joint Task Force, said those who attacked them were wearing military uniforms. 

The official said the Civilian-JTF usually gets a military escort when it goes on a search mission but that when the military did not arrive on time the vigilantes headed out.

They later told officials they saw three patrol vehicles painted in camouflage and approached them thinking they were the escorts. The sect members then opened fire, killing at least 24 Civilian-JTF members.

The Civilian-JTF boys have recently become a target for Boko Haram deadly attacks.

“We are getting too many attacks and our members’ deaths are on the rise. I am scared, and so are some of my friends in the vigilantes,” said Shehu Ibrahim, a member of Civilian-JTF. 

He added that he and others may soon back out "if we are not protected.”