Boko Haram launch multiple attacks on Cameroon

Cameroon came under an attack from Islamic sect, Boko Haram yesterday as the terrorists barged into the home of Cameroon's vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, abducting his wife and killing three others in the northern town of Kolofata.

A local religious leader and mayor, Seini Boukar-Lamine, was also kidnapped from home in a separate attack.

Cameroon's Information Minister, Issa Tchiroma told Reuters news agency yesterday that, "I can confirm that the home of Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali in Kolofata came under an attack from Boko Haram militants. They unfortunately took away his wife. They also attacked the lamido's (religious leader's) residence and he was also kidnapped," he said, adding that at least three people were killed in the attack.

Boko Haram fighters have clashed with the Cameroonian army in cross border attacks twice since Friday, killing four soldiers. Cameroon has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers along its border to help combat the Nigerian armed group.

In May, Boko Haram kidnapped 10 Chinese workers from northern Cameroon. A massive assault last week by Boko Haram in which the group took control of northeast Nigerian town of Damboa displaced more than 15,000 people.

Meanwhile, two persons suspected to be residents of Damboa community taking refuge amongst the over 10,000 displaced persons in Shaffa District of Hawul Local Government Area of Borno state were slaughtered weekend by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect.

Sources in Shaffa explained that the attackers who also made away with two Pickup vans belonging to residents of the area. removed the heads of the deceased and placed them on their chest before fleeing without confrontation.

Another source added that the attackers who after slaughtering their victims also warned residents including the Traditional ruler in Shaffa to desist from accommodating any Damboa refugees or risk deadly attacks.

It will be recalled that multiple attacks on Damboa Local Government Area of the state which claimed the lives of the Commanding Officer of 195 Battalion, a Divisional Police Officer, DPO five policemen and 16 soldiers as well as many civilians led to the sacking of thousands of residents who fled to different locations, while others were taking refuge in designated camps in Biu and Maiduguri metropolis.

Speaking further on the attack on two of the refugees, a top politician from Shaffa who did not want his name to be mentioned in print for security reasons, told our Correspondent that "the gunmen did not touch any residents of Shaffa as they only traced their victims and killed them before firing sporadic gunshots in the air warning people especially the traditional ruler (name withheld) to stop receiving any Damboa fleeing victim or risk attacks on his community".

It was also gathered that the gunmen before fleeing Shaffa told residents that they (terrorists) have vowed to hunt any fleeing Damboa refugee and kill them, alleging that the people of Damboa were their enemies who were against their mission.