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Nigeria's Boko Haram releases hostage video | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram has abducted women and children in response to the arrest of its members' wives and children, it says. | Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram has abducted women and children in response to the arrest of its members' wives and children, it says. |
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video, showing women and children purportedly being held. | |
If confirmed, these would be the first Nigerians taken hostage by Boko Haram. | If confirmed, these would be the first Nigerians taken hostage by Boko Haram. |
In the video, Mr Shekau also said the group was behind two recent attacks in the north-east, which left an estimated 240 people dead. | In the video, Mr Shekau also said the group was behind two recent attacks in the north-east, which left an estimated 240 people dead. |
The group has rejected an amnesty offered by the government to end the insurgency that has killed at least some 2,000 people in the past three years. | The group has rejected an amnesty offered by the government to end the insurgency that has killed at least some 2,000 people in the past three years. |
'Infants detained' | |
Boko Haram has repeatedly accused the security forces of illegally detaining the relatives of its members, saying their release was a pre-condition for any truce. | Boko Haram has repeatedly accused the security forces of illegally detaining the relatives of its members, saying their release was a pre-condition for any truce. |
In the video, Mr Shekau did not name the women and children whom he said the group had seized, or say how many they were. | In the video, Mr Shekau did not name the women and children whom he said the group had seized, or say how many they were. |
"We kidnapped some women and children, including teenage girls," he said. | |
This was in response to the securing forces arresting women, children and infants related to Boko Haram members in Kano, Bauchi and Damaturu, Mr Shekau said. | |
"In a single house in Damaturu, eight of our women and 14 children were arrested," he said. | |
Mr Shekau added that "no-one in this country will enjoy his women and children" if the relatives of Boko Haram members were not released. | |
Nigeria's government has not yet commented. | |
Mr Shekau confirmed the group had carried out a series of attacks in recent weeks - including a raid on 7 May by about 200 heavily-armed men on Bama village, in Borno state near Nigeria's north-eastern border with Cameroon. | |
"We are the ones that carried out the Bama attack," he said. | "We are the ones that carried out the Bama attack," he said. |
Five-five people were killed and 105 prisoners freed in the raids on a police station, military barracks and government buildings. | |
Mr Shekau said Boko Haram had also carried out a "small operation" on the northern town of Baga on 16 April. | |
Claims that Boko Haram members were killed in a shoot-out with security forces were "lies", he said. | |
"None of our people were killed in Baga," Mr Shekau added. | |
The army says it had killed 30 Boko Haram members in Baga, while one soldier and six civilians also died. | |
Rights groups accused the security of retaliating with excessive force, killing nearly 200 people and setting fire to many buildings in the town - an allegation the authorities have denied. | |
In April, Boko Haram released a French family of seven that were abducted in Cameroon in the first cross-border attack carried out by the group. | In April, Boko Haram released a French family of seven that were abducted in Cameroon in the first cross-border attack carried out by the group. |
A confidential Nigerian government report, seen by Reuters news agency, said Boko Haram was paid more than $3m (£2m) to free the hostages. | A confidential Nigerian government report, seen by Reuters news agency, said Boko Haram was paid more than $3m (£2m) to free the hostages. |
Both France and Cameroon denied paying a ransom. | Both France and Cameroon denied paying a ransom. |
Boko Haram is fighting to create an Islamic state across northern Nigeria, where most people are Muslims. | Boko Haram is fighting to create an Islamic state across northern Nigeria, where most people are Muslims. |