Boko Haram Kidnaps Cameroon Vice Prime Minister’s Wife And Kills At Least Three

Boko Haram militants managed to kidnap the wife of Cameroon’s vice prime minister and killed at least three individuals on Sunday. The cross-border attack saw over 200 assailants in Kolofata.

According to Reuters, Nigerian Boko Haram militants may also have kidnapped the local religious leader and mayor, along with five members of his family.

Boko Haram has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Issa Tchiroma, a government spokesperson and communications minister, told Reuters, “I can confirm that the home of Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali in Kolofata came under a savage attack from Boko Haram militants.”

Tchiroma added that three people were killed in the incident and said, “They unfortunately took away his wife. They also attacked the Lamido’s residence and he was also kidnapped.”

According to The Wire, Boko Haram has killed over 2,000 people this year so far. Boko Haram is also responsible for the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria earlier this year.

Tchiroma held a press conference on Sunday and claimed that the army from Cameroon had gotten the situation in Kolofata under control when the militants were forced to retreat. Tchiroma also said the Boko Haram militants used “brutal and unqualified violence” against those they attacked.

“We do not have all the facts in order to give full information on the exact circumstances and the victim toll of this attack,” Tchiroma said.

A Cameroon military commander said that security officials had taken the vice prime minister of Cameroon away to a nearby town. The vice prime minister was home to celebrate Ramadan when he and his family were attacked by the Boko Haram militants.

The attack is the third one in Cameroon in just a few days. As many as four soldiers were killed in the previous attacks.

On Friday, 22 people who are suspected of being Boko Haram militants were sentenced to prison for sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years. It is unclear whether or not recent attacks were in response to the sentencing, according to Reuters.

Boko Haram militants are against Western-style education and are trying to forcibly establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. Sunday saw a bombing of a Catholic church in Kano, which wounded eight people and killed five.

The Boko Haram militants favor Christian targets in their attacks, according to Reuters.

Boko Haram has previously warned the government of Cameroon to stay out of its fight with the Nigerian military, but Cameroon has stepped up to combat the militant group.

[Image via rti.ci]