Boko Haram has hoisted its flag in three villages in Borno State, north-east of Nigeria, after over-running them on Monday, a BBC report said, quoting an unnamed security source.

The report quoted the security source and residents as saying that the militants slaughtered at least eight people, including a village elder, during the attack.

According to the report, “The villages – Kubirivour, Boftari and Kuburmbalah – are near Chibok town, from where the militants captured more than 200 schoolgirls in 2014.

“Others sources said the militants were still in control of Malam Fatori town, on the Nigeria-Niger border.

“Last Sunday, Nigerian troops recaptured the town from the jihadists. However, the militants reinforced their ranks and regained control of the town.”

In another report, also today, BBC quoted Air Marshall Sadiq Baba Abubakar, the head of the Nigerian air force, as saying that he faces major challenges in defeating a seven-year Islamist insurgency in the country.

He repprtedly told the BBC’s Hausa service that the sheer size of the Sambisa forest, where many Boko Haram militants are said to be hiding, made it impossible for the air force to locate them.

“He said it also made it difficult to find more than 200 girls abducted in April 2014 from Chibok town in the north-east,” the report said, adding:

“Lack of proper equipment was also a problem, but daily air patrols were carried out to find the girls.

“The Nigerian military has come under criticism for its inability to locate and rescue the Chibok girls.”

•Photo shows Boko Haram insurgents.

Update news