Suspected Islamist Boko Haram gunmen attacked three villages in the north on Thursday, killing at least 28 people and burning houses to the ground. One took place near Chibok, where more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted last month. In Kerenua, near the Niger border, a police source said scores of militants opened fire on residents, killing at least 20. Some phone signals to the militants had reportedly been tracked to Niger, suggesting they may have been directed from there. Nigeria and its neighbors say Boko Haram - which has killed thousands during its five-year insurgency- now threatens the entire region's security. Nigeria accepted help from the United States, Britain, France and China last week to try to free the girls, who remain in captivity.
