Boko Haram 'slaughter wives' in NE Nigeria: witnesses

Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Dozens of Nigerian women who were forced to marry Boko Haram fighters were reportedly slaughtered by their "husbands" before a battle with troops in the northeast town of Bama, multiple witnesses said Thursday.

Five witnesses who recounted the massacres to AFP said the Islamist militants feared they would be killed by advancing soldiers or separated from their wives when they fled the town

They killed the women to prevent them from subsequently marrying soldiers or other so-called non-believers, they added.

"The terrorists said they will not allow their wives to be married to infidels," said Sharifatu Bakura, 39, a mother of three.

Nigeria's military along with forces from neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger have claimed huge victories over the insurgents in recent weeks but defenceless civilians still face serious threatsThe insurgents had decided to flee to the nearby town of Gwoza before the troops' arrival but first decided "to kill their wives so that nobody will remarry them", she said.

.Real men dont force women cowards