Boko Haram militants 'murder' concubines in Nigeria's Borno State: witnesses

Boko Haram militants murdered their concubines as Nigerian troops advanced toward their hideouts in recently liberated Bama town of Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, witnesses said Thursday.

The Boko Haram fighters perpetrated the horrendous act to prevent the concubines -- whom they forcefully had sexual relationships with after series of abduction and attacks in the northeast region of Nigeria -- from marrying "infidels", one of the witnesses named Bashir Ahmed told Xinhua.

Before killing the women, the Boko Haram fighters told them: "we will not spare anyone of you because if unbelievers marry you, when we get to heaven, there is no way we can meet again," said Ahmed.

Some of the women pleaded for mercy but the ruthless sect members went ahead with the killing, said a woman who also witnessed the massive slaughter.

The Nigerian military had commenced operation in Bama shortly after the killing of concubines by the Boko Haram members, a security source told Xinhua in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State.

Nigerian troops took full control of Bama town on Monday, after clearing the terrorists from their hideouts, the Nigerian defense headquarters said.

Mopping up operation is still ongoing in Bama, the second largest town in Borno after Maiduguri.

Some security sources confirmed to Xinhua that as troops advanced on Bama the terrorists embarked on a killing and maiming spree. Military medical teams and emergency workers have been attending to survivors and evacuating internally displaced persons as screening of the town continues, said a senior security officer who was not authorized to speak to the media on this development.

When contacted, Nigeria's military spokesman, Chris Olukolade declined commenting on specific atrocities by the terrorists, saying specific details will only be given after the ongoing thorough search of the town and its environments is concluded.

Nigerian troops have routed terrorists from different towns and communities in northeast Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in the last few weeks.

With the massive military operations, the troops have also recovered several sophisticated weapons from the terrorists. Endi