Many residents ‘flee to Cameroon’ as Boko Haram invades Borno community

Over 5,000 people have reportedly fled to Cameroon after Boko Haram invaded the border town of Kirawa in Borno state on Thursday.

According to Reuters, the attack forced residents to abandon homes torched alongside a military barracks.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack in a video which showed fighters setting ablaze the barracks while chanting “victory belongs to God”.

Abdulrahman Abubakar, district head of the community, was quoted as saying that residents had been left with no other choice.

“I was left with no option but to flee to Cameroon,” Abubakar was quoted as saying by the news agency.

“Residents boarded trucks to seek refuge across the border, while others ran to Maiduguri.”

Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria’s Borno state have intensified assaults on civilian and security targets in recent times.

Since the turn of the year, the insurgents have reportedly seized several army bases and local communities in Borno, with the military pushing back after periodic reinforcements.

On Monday, Boko Haram attacked Kirawa, resulting in two deaths and the burning of the district head’s house, several other homes, vehicles, and heavy-duty equipment.

On Friday, Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, called on the federal government and military authorities to deploy soldiers to key border communities in the state, including Kirawa, Wulgo, Baga, Damasak, and Malam Fatori.

Zulum said he held a meeting with the theatre commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the general officer commanding (GOC) of the 7th division of the Nigerian Army, and the force commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

He noted that they agreed that troops would be deployed to Kirawa within a short period.

The governor had also expressed regret that his earlier warnings to the Nigerian military on the dangers of leaving border communities unmanned, as well as his requests for troop deployment, had not received adequate attention.(The Cable)