Regional Updates

A suicide bomber has blown himself up in Cameroon, killing himself and no one else, but passing another message that the war against the Boko Haram insurgency may take time to end.

Cameroonian newspaper, L’Oeil du Sahel, which has been reporting virtually daily attacks by Boko Haram in Cameroon, said the suicide bombing took place in Magdeme in the country’s far north, not that far from the border with its eastern neighbour, Nigeria.

That attack came only two days after a Cameroonian soldier who was in a joint military patrol with the Nigerian army died in the Borno state locality of Kumshe.

He was killed when his vehicle climbed a landmine planted by the “godless, mindless” militants.

In recent weeks, several attacks have occurred in Nigeria and Cameroon and several troops have been killed, an indication that the regional war against Boko Haram is far from over.

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Simon Ateba

07.Mar.2017

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he Nigerian military on Monday released photographs of 55 Boko Haram terrorists declared wanted, raising the total so far to 257.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Gabriel Olonisakin while releasing the photographs called on Nigerians to join in the search for the terrorists noting that the counter insurgency was a field operation which required adequate awareness by the stakeholders. 

“With this launch of additional photographs of wanted Boko Haram terrorists, it is hoped that the public and other peace loving citizens will provide useful information that will aid in riding the society of these terrorists and criminal elements,’’ he said.

The army had earlier on declared 202 insurgents wanted in two batches in 2015 but the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai noted that many of them had either been killed or arrested during operations.

“We have earlier in the course of our campaigns against the insurgents from late 2015 published two editions, comprising 202 individuals that have been identified, key members of the Boko Haram insurgents.

“In the course of our counter insurgency operations, quite a significant number of these wanted terrorists have either been killed or arrested.

“Those arrested have been providing useful information that has assisted the Nigerian army undertake successful operations,’’ he said.

Lt-Gen Buratai called on Nigerians and the media with information about the suspects to provide it, saying it would be treated with “utmost confidentiality’’.

He noted strides made by the army in the fight against the terrorists by degrading their combat power as well as decimating their ranks.

The army chief restated that 60 per cent of the remnants of the terrorists were not Nigerians and appealed to the citizens to contribute to the efforts to flush them out of the country.

CCTV-Africa

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Rita Akana

22.Nov.2016

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Over 16,000 displaced pupils of the Far North Region have been given 11, 944 pair of shoes by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency - JICA. Photo for: Fighting Boko Haram: over 11,000 pair of shoes donated to displaced pupils of the Far North Region The shoes were symbolically handed to the Minister of Basic Education Yousouf Hadidja Alim by the Ambassador of Japan to Cameroon Kunio Ukamura at the conference hall of the Basic Education Ministry.

The handing over ceremony was followed by an exchange of signatures by the Minister of Basic Education and the Resident Representative of JICA Umemoto Shinji. The Minister Yousouf Hadidja Alim on behalf of the Government lauded such an initiative which has come to combat illiteracy in the Region. Apart from donating pupils with shoes, JICA has often supported Cameroon in constructing some of its schools.

The Ambassador of Japan to Cameroon on the other handed said the contribution has been made to fight against the infection of soil parasites in pupils, a common disease found in the Region. The contribution to him will go a long way to improve the performance of pupils in the given localities. The shoes which were all cealed in 484 cartons were donated thanks to the initiative of a Japanese Deputy Funada Hajme who collaborated with Secondary and High School students in Japan. The shoes will be handed to the most Affected Divisions of the Far North Region such as: the Diamare, Logone and Chari, Mayo Sava and the Mayo Tsanaga Divisions.

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Rita Akana

30.Jun.2016

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A FEMALE would-be suicide bomber has been killed with a poisoned arrow by local residents in Cameroon.

Authorities in the Far North Region  say the woman, who was later found to have explosives strapped to her body, was shot with the deadly projectile by members of a local self-defence group after she failed to stop when challenged.

Midjiyawa Bakary, the Governor of the Far North Region where the incident happened, said the 40-year-old terrorist had crossed the notorious border from Nigeria before the attempted attack.

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Elangwe Pauline

04.May.2016

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Two terrorist bombings by female individuals at a local mosque in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri have killed at least 22 people during morning prayers, officials say. One of the assailants reportedly blew herself up inside the Umarari Mosque on the outskirts of the city and the second terrorist detonated her explosives outside the building as survivors were fleeing in horror. 

Borno State Emergency Management Agency spokesman Abdullahi Omar confirmed the terrorist attacks on Wednesday but refused to further elaborate. A source at the agency was, however, quoted by AFP as saying that “so far 22 people have been confirmed dead and 35 others injured.” According to the coordinator of the local civilian self-defense Vigilante Group, Abba Aji, the mosque in Umarari served as a military command center in the Nigerian army’s war against the notorious Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group.

Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, Boko Haram is regarded as the chief suspect. The group has often targeted the city since it began a bloody militancy against the Nigerian government about seven years ago. In recent months, several Boko Haram assailants have blown themselves up at roadblocks into the city that are manned by army troops and local vigilantes. Nearly 20,000 people have so far been killed and 2.3 million more displaced since the Daesh-linked Takfiri militant group began its terror campaign in Nigeria in 2009.

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Presstv

16.Mar.2016

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Three civilian fighters on their way to combat Boko Haram militants in northeast Nigeria have been killed when their vehicle hit a landmine. Local residents said on Tuesday that seven more fighters on board the vehicle were injured. "We lost three of our colleagues to a roadside bomb yesterday evening on their way to repel Boko Haram in Huyum," said Adamu Galadima, a fighter in the town of Askira Uba. "The vigilantes were approaching Huyum, which was under Boko Haram attack, when the front tire of their vehicle hit a bomb planted by the attackers", said Galadima, who attended the victims' funerals. 

Boko Haram militants had laid mine traps for soldiers coming from Askira or vigilantes from nearby hamlets, said Huyum resident Peter Malgwui. "Vigilantes from Chul heard of the attack and rushed to counter the Boko Haram gunmen when they hit the bomb, killing three and injuring seven," added Malgwui, who fled following the attack. Boko Haram gunmen travelling in an open van attacked Huyum at about 7:30 pm (1830 GMT), firing indiscriminately and forcing residents to flee into the bush, he said. A woman was shot dead in the attack while a girl was shot and injured in the leg, he added.

The gunmen were believed to have come from nearby Sambisa forest, which has long been Boko Haram's enclave and base. On June 8 last year Boko Haram killed 15 in a sweeping raid on Huyum, torching the entire farming village using petrol after looting food supplies and livestock. Months later, residents who fled that attack began returning to the village to rebuild their homes following a series of successes by the military against Boko Haram. Nigeria says the government forces continuous counter-offensive has left Boko Haram "technically" defeated but sporadic attacks on civilian targets by the Takfiri militants, who have pledged allegiance to Daesh militants, continue.

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Presstv

15.Mar.2016

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