Africa | Nigeria | Crimes

Alarming rise in suicide bombings by underage girls

There has been an alarming spike in the number of suicide attacks carried out by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram using underage female bombers in northeastern Nigeria, according to a new report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The UN agency reported 27 such attacks in the first five months of this year, compared with 26 for the entirety of 2014. At least three-quarters of the attacks in crowded target areas like busy markets and bus stations were carried out by female bombers, some approximately as young as seven.

Africa | Nigeria | Politics

Nigerian Officials Rescue 160 More Girls, Women Kidnapped by Boko Haram

Source: Essence

Two days after Tuesday's triumphant rescue of nearly 300 Nigerian girls and women who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram, officials announced today that an additional 160 hostages have been rescued. It is unclear whether any of the girls are the missing Chibok schoolgirls. Earlier today, Sani Usman, a spokesman for the Nigerian Army, said that soldiers stormed nine terrorist camps in the Sambisa Forest, which is the same location where the women and girls were rescued from earlier this week. One female hostage was killed during the attack, and eight others were injured. Nigerian officials are