More Nigerians cross border to flee Boko Haram

The refugee crises in northern Cameroon is spreading down south.

Thousands of Nigerians fleeing Boko Haram attacks arrived in the North region last week, recording the first massive influx into the region.

Until then, the Far North was the main entry point for fleeing Nigerians. At least 15,000 of them are now settled in the region.

Embargoed footage shot by CRTV’s regional station in Garoua shows hundreds of people, an entire village, arriving via Figuil.

Security and administrative officials restricted media access to the border communities where the refugees are “trapped”.

Our correspondent in the region said the refugees originated from Mubi, a village in Nigeria’s Adamawa state, which has fallen to the armed insurgents.

Nigerian media estimated that at least 30,000 people had fled Mubi into Cameroon. Some died of “hunger and exhaustion” during their flight, reported Daily Mirror.

Cameroon has continued to receive Nigerian refugees in spite of the recent announcement of a ceasefire between Nigerian authorities and the armed group.

Thousands of refugees have been settled in Minawao, a refugee camp near Mokolo, east of the Mandara Mountains.

UN agencies say they have pulled out development and humanitarian workers from parts of the Far North because of high insecurity.