Boko Haram Lunch attack in Cameroon, Kidnapping Deputy Prime Minister's Wife

Boko Haram Lunch attack in Cameroon, Kidnapping Deputy Prime Minister's Wife

Posted by Sylvester on Monday, July 28, 2014 0

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BOKO Haram has stepped up its operations in neighbouring Cameroon after it kidnapped the wife of the country's deputy prime minister and a religious leader in the northern town of Kolofata this morning. Known to operate across borders with bases in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, Boko Haram has generally left Nigeria's neighbours alone up until now. However, with pressure mounting on Nigeria's neighbours to act, the Cameroonian military has been clamping down on the terrorist sect recently, which prompted the attack. Early this morning, the militants attacked Kolofata abducting the wife of deputy prime minister Amadou Ali and a local religious leader or lamido, named as Seini Boukar Lamine, who is also the town's mayor. Three people are alleged to have been killed in the attack and in a swift response, security officials have whisked the deputy prime minister away to safety. He had been at home to celebrate the Muslim feast of Ramadan with his family but was taken unawares by the suddenness of the attack. It is not clear how the deputy prime minister himself survived the attack, as it is likely he was the original target. A security spokesperson said: "I can confirm that the home of vice prime minister Amadou Ali in Kolofata came under a savage attack from Boko Haram militants. They unfortunately took away his wife and they also attacked the lamido's residence and he was also kidnapped." In recent weeks as Cameroon has deployed troops to the border region, joining international efforts to combat the militants and has suffered an increase in terrorist attacks as a result. This morning's attack is the third Boko Haram act of violence in Cameroon since Friday. Colonel Felix Nji Formekong, the second commander of Cameroon's third inter-army military region, based in the regional headquarters Maroua, said: "The situation is very critical here now and as I am talking to you the Boko Haram elements are still in Kolofata town in a clash with our soldiers." At least four soldiers were killed in the previous attacks. Meanwhile, some 22 suspected Boko Haram militants, who have been held in Maroua since March, were on Friday sentenced to prison sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years.