New Wave of Boko Haram Attacks Target Commuters, Schoolchildren in Northern Cameroon
The rise in Boko Haram terrorist activities over the past three months in Northern Cameroon has caused widespread panic across the country.
Since June, a significant increase in Boko Haram activities has been recorded in northern Cameroon, particularly in the Far North region. Military sources in the country’s capital, Yaoundé, estimated that at least 30 people have been killed in attacks on both military and civilian targets.
As part of its terrorist activities, Boko Haram has extensively engaged in kidnapping to generate income through ransoms, recruit new members, and instil fear in the civilian population. These kidnappings, which often target women, children, and students, serve as a way for the group to gain leverage and destabilise local communities.
On Aug. 11, two Cameroonian soldiers were killed during an attack on a military outpost in Kerawa, near the border with Nigeria. Following the attack, the assailants retreated towards the Nigerian border. In response, the Cameroonian army dispatched special forces to the area to secure the border and pursue the Boko Haram fighters.
Three days later, Boko Haram abducted about 50 passengers travelling in the Touristique Express bus, a local transport agency in Cameroon, taking them into the bush. Most of the hostages were released after paying ransoms. As of Aug. 18, however, 11 school children, including five from the same family, remain hostages because their parents are unable to pay the 50 million FCFA (about $89,000) ransom demanded by the terrorists. The children are aged between 12, 15, 16 and 18. Boko Haram has contacted the parents of the children and is threatening to kill all of them if the 50 million FCFA ransom is not paid before the end of this week.
Maurice Kamto, the leader of Cameroon’s leading opposition party, condemned the government for its silence regarding the recent kidnapping. He urged the authorities to take all necessary actions to ensure the safe release of the children. Kamto criticised the government’s indifference to this situation, likening it to their neglect in previous incidents, and described their silence as irresponsible.
The rise in terrorist activities over the past three months has caused widespread panic across the country. This anxiety intensified after a Nigerian prophet predicted on T.B. Joshua’s TV channel said that Bamenda, the main town in the Northwest region, could soon experience a significant Boko Haram attack.
Many travel agencies in Bamenda now conduct thorough luggage searches, and bodily searches may also occur.
“Feel free, take your time to look at everything. I am glad you people are taking the time to do this. It is for our security,” a passenger in a travel agency in Bamenda said as her luggage was ransacked.
On May 7, Boko Haram kidnapped the parish priest of St. John the Baptist Madingring Parish of Garoua Archdiocese in the North region along with five other people. The six people were abducted on the road between Guidjiba and Tcholire.
Emmanuel Bonkou, the Diocesan Chancellor, reported that one of the hostages, a teacher, was killed. The others were released, except for one, Rev. Fr. Mbaibarem, for whom Boko Haram demanded a ransom of $42,750.
The spike in terror activities comes as the Cameroonian authorities continue to reassure the population that operations by the military have succeeded in breaking the backbone of the Boko Haram insurgency.
“The increase in these terrorist activities while the government continues to insist they have broken the backbone of Boko Haram only goes to deepen the people’s distrust of the government, which always serves them a recurrent dose of lies by the day. Hardly a week passes without reports of Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in various parts of the Grand North. How can the backbone of an insurgency be broken yet its activities increase by the day?” Philip Ogun, a civil society activist in Douala, asked.
Since June, Boko Haram activity has surged in northern Cameroon, particularly affecting the Far North region. At least 30 people have been killed in attacks, with kidnappings being a major tactic used by the group to demand ransoms and spread fear. On Aug. 11, two soldiers were killed in an attack near the Nigeria border, prompting military activity to secure the area. A subsequent kidnapping involved 50 passengers, with all but 11 school children released after paying ransoms. The children's parents cannot afford the demanded 50 million FCFA ransom, causing public outcry and criticism from opposition leader Maurice Kamto.
The ongoing threat has led to increased security measures, with travel agencies conducting meticulous luggage searches. Despite assurances from the government that Boko Haram’s influence has waned, the rise in attacks and abductions fuels public distrust. A recent prediction of attacks in Bamenda heightened tensions, as Boko Haram's activities continue to challenge the government's narrative of having weakened the insurgency. The kidnapping of a priest and others, some involving ransom demands, further exemplifies the persistent danger and public anxiety.
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