Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram kidnapped 20 women and girls and three men Thursday from Garkin Fulani, a nomadic community in Chibok, Borno State.
The women and men were taken in the afternoon and forced into Jeeps while most of the men were tending to cattle. The villagers discovered the kidnapping that evening.
The Vigilante Group of Nigeria—a volunteer group that tries to protect Nigerian citizens—reported that they did not receive word of the crime until Monday.
"Honestly, up till today we have not heard anything concerning the missing women that were abducted near Chibok town on Thursday," Vigilante spokesman Muhammed Gavva told Premium Times on Monday.
"If our men had got the wind of it earlier, we could have tried to go after them. Even when they eventually got to know about it, which was hours after, they still went after them but you know, [the abductors] had better vehicles and ours are not that good, so [we] could not go far."
Vigilante Chairman Alhaji Tar also identified the timing of the attack and a lack of communication as factors that hindered a potential rescue.
"They invaded the settlement at the time most of the male members of the place were all out either on grazing activity or some went to the market," he said, according to Premium Times.
BBC reports that the three men were kidnapped when they tried to stop the females from being taken.
State Police Public Relations Officer Gideon Jubrin said that law enforcement authorities have not yet been notified of the kidnapping.
The abduction happened near the Chibok school where Boko Haram kidnapped over 270 schoolgirls on April 14. A second mass kidnapping occurred on May 4 in Warabe. Nigerian officials announced two weeks ago that they know where the girls are, but have not decided how they will bring the victims back safely.
