Boko Haram kills 7, abducts 7, burns church in Christmas Eve attack

At least seven people were killed Thursday after gunmen thought to be associated with Boko Haram opened fire on a village in Nigeria. Image via Google Satellite

Dec. 26 (UPI) — At least seven people were killed Thursday in a Boko Haram gun attack in Nigeria’s Borno state, a local official said.

Kachallah Usma, secretary of the Chibok local government area, told CNN the organization killed seven people and kidnapped another seven, including a pastor in the majority-Christian village of Pemi.

“The terrorists killed seven people, burnt 10 homes and looted food supplies that were meant to be distributed to residents to celebrate Christmas,” militia leader Abwaku Kabu said.

According to Usma, the group also burned down a church, a dispensary and several houses.

Pemi is located about 12 miles from Chibok, where the group kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls six years ago.

A man purporting to be Abubakar Shekau, one of the group’s factions, has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of more than 300 schoolboys earlier in December, but governor Aminu Bello Masari has disputed this claim.

Audu Chiwar, a former secretary of the Chibok community, said he received a call from a local resident saying gunmen had opened fire in the village and that several houses and a church had burned.

One eyewitness said a Christian youth organization had been holding a Christmas parade in Pemi when the attack began.

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