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In northeastern Nigeria, a group suspected of being Islamist terrorists kidnapped 50 individuals, predominantly women, marking another significant abduction amid a decade-long insurgency.

The incident occurred this Monday in the Gamboru area, bordering Chad and Cameroon. A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force, which collaborates with the military against jihadists, reported that the victims were from a camp for internally displaced persons. They had ventured to Lake Chad’s shores to collect firewood, an area where the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is notably active.

According to the official, the abductees were ambushed by gunmen and forced through bushy terrains in Chad. Three women managed to escape the kidnappers. Falmata Bukar, one of the escapees, recounted their ordeal, stating that they were surrounded and compelled to follow the gunmen into the wilderness.

The Nigerian Army has yet to comment on this incident. Meanwhile, Barkindo Saidu, the head of Borno’s emergency agency overseeing the camps for displaced individuals, mentioned his plans to visit the area for an assessment. The agency has not yet declared the kidnapped individuals as missing.