Boko Haram Kidnaps Cameroon’s Vice Prime Minister’s Wife

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The wife of Cameroon’s Vice-Prime Minister Amadou Ali has been kidnapped and at least 3 people killed in attacks by Boko Haram militants on the northern town of Kolofata on Sunday, Cameroon officials said.

The incident occurred just as gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents attacked a Catholic Church in Kano, killing a soldier, a toddler and three other worshippers. An Improvised Explosive Devices concealed in a refrigerator by a cart pusher had gone off in a motor park in the city on Thursday, killing five people and injuring many.

The Lamido (religious leader) of the area, Seini Boukar Lamine, according to a news agency, Reuters, was kidnapped in a second attack in Kolofata.

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

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

A Cameroon military commander in the region said the Vice PM, was at home to celebrate the Muslim feast of Ramadan with his family, he was rushed to a neighbouring town by security officials for safety.

“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 Col. Felix Nji Formekong, the second commander of Cameroon’s third inter-army military region, based in the regional headquarters, Maroua.

The Sunday attacks are the third by Boko Haram in Cameroon since Friday. At least four soldiers were killed in the previous attacks.

Reuters added that 22 suspected Boko Haram militants, who had been held in Maroua since March, were on Friday sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 20 years.