Elizabeth HagedornAnother day in Nigeria has brought yet another horrifying attack on civilians.
Just a day after a deadly bus station bombing killed more than 70 people and injured hundreds of others in Abuja, armed men have now reportedly kidnapped as many as 100 schoolgirls in Nigeria's northeast Borno state. (Via CCTV)
A witness told Al Jazeera the security guards at the school were no match for the kidnappers, who arrived by motorcycles and trucks.
According to Voice of America, the men torched the town before taking off with the girls.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for bombings or the kidnapping, but in both cases, all signs point to Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Boko Haram.
This weekend alone, the militant Islamist group is thought to have killed hundreds in a series of brutal attacks. (Via International Business Times)
"We are Boko Haram."
In its fight to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria, Boko Haram has concentrated its attacks on civilians. Its trademark has been attacks on schools. In fact, its name loosely translates to "Western education is forbidden." (Via TVC, Channels Television)
They have a problem with Western society in general. According to BBC, that includes "voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers or receiving a secular education."
In September, likely Boko Haram insurgents killed more than 50 students in their sleep during a raid on an agricultural college. (Via Voice of America)
In February, suspected Boko Haram militants went door to door slaughtering civilians, killing more than 100 people in one Nigerian village. (Via The Telegraph)
And while the Nigerian government pledged a massive military operation to contain the group's uprising, the group has remained active. (Via Euronews)
Amnesty International estimates more than 1,500 Nigerians have died at the hands of Boko Haram in the last year. Some 250,000, mostly women and children, have fled their homes.
