Attacks by extremist group Boko Haram have prompted some 15,000 people to flee a town in northeast Nigeria.
According to Bloomberg, this latest episode of violence has resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people in the trading hub of Damboa. Despite the violence, Reuters says the Nigerian government maintains that Boko Haram has not taken control of the town. Reuters notes that Defense spokesman Major-General Chris Olukolade denied the group's seizure of Damboa, and National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Abdulkair Ibrahim said the government had no plans to "[concede] any portion of [the] country to any terrorist group."
However, BBC claims that vigilantes who have taken to defending their towns say Boko Haram, has, in fact, taken Damboa, even reportedly raising their black flag near the town's entrance. If this is true, it confirms fears of the government's inability to provide an adequate level of protection against attacks.
[via Gawker, Reuters, Bloomberg and BBC]
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