Police react to Boko Haram video, say only two officers missing after ambush

After it denied last week that none of its female personnel was abducted by Boko Haram insurgents during the ambush along Maiduguri-Biu road last week, the police in Borno State on Wednesday confirmed that two of its personnel, including one woman, are missing after the attack. 

The police was reacting to a recent video released by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, in which he said his group has about ten policewomen in captivity.

Premium Times had last week reported that 16 women were amongst those abducted by the insurgents when they ambushed a convoy of travellers under military escort.

In the video, Mr. Shekau said the policewomen would be used as slaves in retaliation for the wives and daughters of Boko Haram members arrested or killed by Nigeria security forces.

A Wednesday statement signed by the Borno Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Isukwu, a deputy superintendent of police, urged the media and the general public to ignore the Boko Haram leader’s claims which he described as a false representation of what happened.