Was Boko Haram outfoxed in hostage deal?

Reasons are emerging on what angered Boko Haram militants to launch an attack on Cameroon, hours after Cameroon allegedly paid them money to regain the 27 hostages.

Though not officially confirmed, sources within the BIR have disclosed what supposedly transpired.

Even though the Cameroon Government spokesperson, IssaTchiroma, would not provide an answer even when asked, it is widely reported that Government paid a huge amount of money to Boko Haram in exchange for the 27 hostages that were handed over to the Government on October 11.

Sources within the BIR told The Post that the insurgents demanded a ransom of FCFA eight million per hostage. Cameroon is said to have bowed to their demand.

Before now, Cameroon had been criticised by the Nigerian Government and other quarters for rather helping to fuel the insurgency by allegedly funnelling money to the group to secure the release of the French family and the Catholic clerics.

The kidnapping of 10 Chinese, Amadou Ali’s wife and the others, were enough to tell that the insurgents had seen a gold mine in Cameroon where easy lucre could be harvested.

But in the recent negotiation, The Post gathered that the Government gave them a raw deal.

Thus, on the night of October 10, breaking October 11, the Cameroonian military, it is alleged, having devised a plan where the ransom could be recovered after the hostages had been returned, made a U-turn minutes after, as the hostages were hurtling home to celebrate their freedom. A contingent of the Cameroonian force had taken cover by the anticipated return route of the Boko Haram militants.

Though it is widely reported that the insurgents carted away the money from the deal, The Post gathered that the seemingly elated Boko Haram terrorists were attacked by Cameroonian forces who had laid in ambush ahead. All the bags which contained the cash, The Post gathered, were seized. Other sources hold that the bank notes handed over were forged notes, as the transaction took place during the night.

It is, thus, the anger over this trickery that pushed the Boko Haram to launch a ferocious attack at BIR’s post in the North, just three days after the release of the hostages.

Reports say the Boko Haram attack was brash and bloody and was, by every reckoning, aimed at wrecking havoc on the Cameroonian military. Eight elements of the elite commandos, BIR, were felled. Rattled by this great loss in a single attack, Cameroonian soldiers are said to have fought back without blinking, cut down and pursued the group right back to their base across the borders. The Cameroon Government reported that over 107 of the Islamic militants were killed, some arrested and large quantities of ammunition seized.

The Nigerian Government has announced that it has secured a ceasefire with the insurgent group. But The Post gathered that the Cameroon military are still corked to their guns and keeping an unblinking eye on the terrorist as they still might be musing on another attack, despite the heavy loss they suffered last week.