The Nigerian government said it has driven Boko Haram out of Chibok, the town where the militants had kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in April. Boko Haram had returned to Chibok and seized it last Thursday along with several other towns. But just two days later Nigerian security forces flushed out the militants and restored control of the area, Presidential Spokesperson Reuben Abati told NBC News. "A number of the terrorists lost their lives and a number of officers lost their lives," Abati said of the battle to retake the town. "I do not know exact numbers, but there were more casualties on the terrorist side."
Abati said the town was retaken Saturday and that the military performed a "mopping up operation" Sunday. Boko Haram, which translates to "Western education is a sin," has built a stronghold in the northeast fueled by a campaign of kidnappings on bombings. President Goodluck Jonathan, who announced his reelection bid last week, has been criticized for his response to the threat of Boko Haram.