Thousands Flee to Cameroon After Boko Haram Seizes Borno Community

Thousands Flee to Cameroon After Boko Haram Seizes Borno Community

More than 5,000 residents of Kirawa, a northeastern Nigerian border town, have sought refuge in Cameroon following a late-night assault by Boko Haram insurgents on Thursday.Reuters reported, citing local officials and community leaders. The attack forced the district head, Abdulrahman Abubakar, to flee his palace, which was set ablaze alongside a military barracks and numerous homes.“I had no choice but to escape to Cameroon,” Abubakar told Reuters. Many residents fled in trucks across the border, while others headed to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.A video released by Boko Haram showed fighters torching the military barracks while chanting religious slogans, according to Reuters. Residents reported that Kirawa is now largely deserted, with one escapee, Dauda Hassan, stating, “Boko Haram is in control.” Hassan fled to Pulka, where troops are stationed.The attack follows a similar assault on September 19 in Banki, where Boko Haram overran a military barracks, seized weapons, and forced soldiers to retreat. Yakubu Mabba Ali Kirawa, head of Kirawa’s development group, called for urgent military reinforcements, noting that local vigilantes are the only remaining security presence after a multinational task force withdrew following an earlier attack in August.The surge in violence highlights the ongoing threat posed by Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have intensified attacks on civilians and security forces in Borno State in 2025. The Nigerian military has regained control of some targeted areas, but the insurgents continue to overrun communities and bases temporarily. 

Source: Thousands Flee to Cameroon After Boko Haram Seizes Borno Community

 - NigerianEye

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