The Federal Government of Nigeria has
sealed its northern border with Cameroon
in an effort to shut out terrorists using its
neighbour as a launchpad for attacks.
The closure extends from Borno State, by
Lake Chad, to the southern end of
Adamawa State, around halfway along
Nigeria’s 1,500-mile border with
Cameroon.
A statement issued by the Commandant
23 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier-General
Rogers Ibe Nicholas said that the closure
is meant to effectively curtail the activities
of the insurgents.
Borno and Adamawa states are covered
by a State of Emergency that President
Goodluck Jonathan declared last May as
part of an offensive meant to crush the
Boko Haram sect.
“To effectively curtail the activities of the
insurgents, the Cameroon border in the
northeast has been closed indefinitely,”
Brigadier-General Rogers Ibe Nicholas
said in a statement.
The Islamists, whose struggle for an
Islamic state in northern Nigeria has
killed thousands and made them the
biggest threat to security in Africa’s top
oil producer, are currently based in the
hilly Gwoza area next to Cameroon.
Nigerian security officials say they often
launch deadly attacks then flee over the
border to avoid being pursued.
They killed more than 200 people in two
attacks last week on villages, prompting
renewed criticisms that military action has
failed to neutralize them.
No comments:
Post a Comment