Boko Haram fighters have abducted a staff of the United Nations (UN) along Damaturu-Maiduguri road in Borno State.

Held captive is Abubakar Garba Idris, aka Alooma, a Senior Protection Assistant with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The terrorists ambushed vehicles conveying commuters near Matari village between Minok to Jakana highway.

One of them, Alooma was seized around 8.30 a.m. on Saturday.

A source told PRNigeria that the terrorists, in military uniform, mounted a roadblock with three Hilux pickup truck and motorcycles.

“Witnesses said while searching the passengers, Idris attempted to throw away his ID card but one of the insurgents sighted him.

“He was then asked to step down from the vehicle along with two others. The rest were allowed to continue the journey.

“The other two passengers were later released on the ground that they are very poor people and of no use”, the source disclosed.

In recent years, terrorist groups have targeted UN facilities and its staff in Nigeria.

In July 2020, the UN alerted that insurgents operate checkpoints.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, raised the alarm in his reaction to the execution of aid workers by Boko Haram.