The wife of Cameroon's vice prime minister
was kidnapped and at least three people killed
in an attack by Boko Haram militants in the
northern town of Kolofata on Sunday,
Cameroon officials said.
A local religious leader, or lamido, named
Seini Boukar Lamine, who is also the town's
mayor, was kidnapped as well, in a separate
attack on his home.
Boko Haram stepped up cross-border attacks
into Cameroon in recent weeks as Cameroon
deployed troops to the region, joining
international efforts to combat the militants.
Issa Tchiroma told Reuters by telephone:
"I can confirm that the home of Vice
Prime Minister Amadou Ali in Kolofata
came
under a savage attack from Boko Haram
militants. They unfortunately took away
his wife. They also attacked the lamido's
residence and he was also kidnapped."
A Cameroon military commander in the
region told Reuters that the vice prime
minister, who was at home to celebrate the
Muslim feast of Ramadan with his family, was
taken to a neighbouring town by security
officials.
"The situation is very critical here now,
and as I am talking to you the Boko
Haram elements are still in Kolofata
town in a clash with our soldiers," said
Colonel Felix Nji Formekong, the second
commander of Cameroon's third inter-
army military region, based in the
regional headquarters Maroua.
The Sunday attack is the third Boko Haram
attack into Cameroon since Friday. At least
four soldiers were killed in the previous
attacks. Meanwhile, some 22 suspected Boko
Haram militants, who have been held in
Maroua since March, were on Friday
sentenced to prison sentences ranging from
10 to 20 years. It was unclear whether the
events are related.
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