In the aftermath of the April abductions, Chibok residents accused security forces of doing little to secure the girls’ release, despite military claims that a massive manhunt had been launched.
– ‘Worried about our brothers’ –
The United States, Britain, France and Israel are supporting Nigeria’s search-and-rescue operation so far without success, with 219 girls still missing.
The villages targeted on Sunday – Kwada, Ngurojina, Karagau and Kautikari – are all within 10 kilometres (six miles) of Chibok.
Church attacks have been a prominent feature of the insurgency, which Boko Haram claims is aimed at creating an Islamic state in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north.
Relentless Boko Haram violence has muted festivities for the World Cup, even in Lagos, the commercial capital, nearly 2,000 kilometres (1200 miles) from the scene of Sunday’s violence.
“This is the southwest… We are free (of Boko Haram violence) here,” said Binuyo Lewis, 35, who manages a bookmakers in an upmarket Lagos neighbourhood.
But, he said, “we are worried about our brothers in the northeast”.
Boko Haram are blamed for killing thousands since 2009, but the first half of this year has been the bloodiest stretch of the insurgency, with more than 2,000 people killed.
A year-old military offensive in the northeast has done little to stem the unrest.
Expatriates in Lagos and Abuja were warned to stay away from bars and viewing centres showing Monday’s match.
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