Nigerian army 'rescues more than 1,100 Boko Haram captives'

The Nigerian army says it has rescued more than 1,100 civilians from the clutches of Boko Haram militants.

It announced the rescues in a press release on Tuesday, revealing more than 600 people were saved in one operation along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.

Another 700 were rescued from a series of villages, the army said.

The statement comes as the army finds itself under fire for removing soldiers from checkpoints around Dapchi shortly before Boko Haram attacked the town and kidnapped 110 girls.

On Monday it was announced they were throwing resources at the hunt for the girls and their abductors.

However, many are questioning how the abduction was allowed to happen in the first place.