On the border of Cameroon and Nigeria, this village is threatened daily by Boko Haram, the most deadly terrorist organization in the world.
“To protect themselves, the villagers have created a militia equipped with machetes, bows, and arrows.”
“But mostly they rely on the soldiers of the Cameroonian army.”
This isolated outpost in the middle of the hills is commanded by Lieutenant Dang.
“We are at the outpost in Dinding.”
“Every morning the officer puts pressure on his men.”
“Commanding officer, quick, quick, quick. At the ready.”
The outpost is even equipped with a mortar. The lieutenant knows that Boko Haram is nearby.
“This is Nigeria ahead of us.”
“The houses you see right there,”
“how many meters?”
“200, 300 m.”
“My job is to secure the border and prevent Boko Haram’s raids so people can live in peace. We’re on the lookout around the clock, whether for suicide bombers or actual warfare.”
“What if someone comes up to you? What do you do?”
“If someone comes up to us, we identify them from a distance. If they’re threatening, it’s over for them.”
“Boko Haram. No way. Not here. We will wipe them out.”
“Boko Haram, your days are numbered.”
Boko Haram is tens of thousands of fanatical Islamist fighters who are spreading terror in the heart of Africa. The movement began in northern Nigeria, poor with a mostly Muslim population, an area that doesn’t enjoy the same prosperity as the Christian oil rich south. Boko Haram is also its leader, Abubakar Shekau, a very dangerous man.
“Today our religion is to kill, slaughter, slay, massacre.”
As we see in these propaganda videos, Shekau believes himself to be invincible and declares war on the entire world in the name of the Quran.
“Obama, France Holland, Queen Elizabeth, they will not kill me. The infidels of the world will not kill me. We follow the orders of the Quran in the name of Allah.”
Shekau and his 30,000 jihadists use particularly bloody methods. They ruthlessly cut the throats or execute their enemies to terrorize the public. It was on April 14th, 2014 that Boko Haram first made headlines worldwide. That night, one of their commandos set fire to a high school in the city of Chibok and captured 276 students, all girls aged 12 to 17.
A few days later, Boko Haram broadcast these images of the girls. They were reciting Muslim prayers.
“165 of them are Christian, but they were forced to convert.”
“Are you Christian?”
“Yes.”
“Now you’re Muslim.”
The kidnapping caused a stir worldwide. The general public came together behind the slogan, “Bring back our girls.” Michelle Obama, very moved, made a public statement.
“Like millions of people across the globe, my husband and I are outraged and heartbroken over the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls.”
Even Hollywood mobilized behind the actress Julia Roberts at the Cannes Film Festival. The stars showed solidarity on the red carpet.
“All this talk because I kidnapped some girls. I can confirm yes, I’m the one who took them. I intend to sell them on the market where I sell human beings. God instructed me to do this.”
Starting from Nigeria, the Islamists began attacking the three neighboring countries. Parts of Chad, Niger, and Cameroon have become Boko Haram land.
We will carry out the investigation on the ground here as close as possible to the massacres and battles. We will follow the soldiers who fight these religious fanatics.
“Will you cross the bridge?”
“Protect them.”
“Move forward.”
We will talk with those who suffer from their abuses.
“A man from Boko Haram said, ‘Why are you talking to him? Just kill him.’ and he shot my husband dead.”
We will also hear firsthand reports from survivors of suicide bombings.
“I lost my eye.”
“It was horrible.”
We will see jihadists captured in combat.
“Welcome.”
We will also speak with an African king, a hostage of Boko Haram who miraculously survived.
“And then I heard them try the door handle. It was locked. So they shut it off.”
“And I thought, sir, we’re not going to make it out of here.”
The evil and violence that threatens us here is everywhere.
We will follow a priest who must confront the danger of Boko Haram on a daily basis.
“And we must stay here.”
Our investigation begins in Diffa in the southeast of Niger on the Nigerian border in the heart of Boko Haram land.
“For Diffa, we have to land visual same color of the desert.”
Diffa, a small town has been repeatedly stormed by jihadists. They were beaten back each time. On the tarmac, Mi24 attack helicopters. Faced with Boko Haram, a coalition of African countries are involved in the fight. Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
We meet the Nigerian Army’s general staff. The base is very active. This morning, there were reports of infiltration of Boko Haram. A pickup truck combs the surroundings.
“They’re trying to infiltrate Niger. I’m in charge of blocking and destroying them.”
The soldiers are well armed and well equipped.
“They’ve just received more ammunition this morning.”
They come together for a general staff meeting. Chadian and Nigerian officers arrive. More surprising, we see the arrival of two lieutenants from the US military.
“As we can see, they are already acquainted with the people here.”
They are not the only Western soldiers. Two French officers arrived next. A commander seconded from Operation Barkhane further north in the Sahel and his deputy. Faced with the rise of Boko Haram, France and the United States have placed some men on temporary assignment here. They are surprised by the presence of journalists and prefer not to talk to us.
Everyone is waiting for this man, the leader of the fifth military region, Colonel Mussa Barmu, who controls the operations that are currently underway. Every day, the colonel takes stock of that day’s military operations.
“Our goal is to rid our border completely of Boko Haram. We know that this is a dangerous task. They have a foothold in Nigeria. and they still have the means to retaliate. But we are continuing because it’s essential and I know we have what it takes to gain the upper hand.”
The colonel’s problem is finding out where the head of Boko Haram is hiding.
“Right now, we don’t know exactly. If we knew, then the war would be easy. This is someone who’s constantly moving, who rarely spends two nights in the same place.”
“He communicates very little. Which makes it difficult to catch him. I don’t think that he’s a mentally stable person. We can see in the videos that he’s not right in the head.”
“But how could he have peace of mind considering all the atrocities he’s committed?”
At the end of the meeting, we interview a Nigerian officer.
“Are Nigerians the only ones fighting?”
“There are allies, too. They’re friends. The Chadians, the French, the Americans? No. The French army helps out, but they don’t participate in the war.”
The French military conducts intelligence, pooling their information with the African army, while the Americans use drones like this one that flies over the camp.
“They help us with reconnaissance missions using their planes. And so this has enabled us to intervene by helicopter on many occasions.”
“They find them and you destroy them.”
“Exactly.”
“And you’ve had success several times. You do precision bombing.”
“Tip. That’s right. Tick for tat.”
Americans do more than just intelligence work. Inside this enclosure, we see a heavily protected fort. Behind the barb wire, not far away, American soldiers.
“They’re training a Nigerian anti-terrorist unit.”
Among the soldiers of the African coalition, Boko Haram is dismissed in no uncertain terms.
“I describe them as drug addicts. These people are thugs. You don’t kill your Muslim brother. You don’t put bombs in mosques. They’re fucking hypocrites of Islam.”
“I’ll say it again. Hypocrites of Islam.”
Hypocrites against which these soldiers are waging a thankless war. But for them, it’s impossible to stand aside and let Boko Haram invade their country. Just a few days ago, only 7 km away from here, the Islamists made an attempt to cross the border. When we arrived there, we find men waiting in ambush, sitting in foxholes. They sleep here because they fear another surprise attack from Boko Haram.
“In these foxholes, we’re protected even from mortars, and we can defend ourselves. We can shoot accurately without being seen by the enemy.”
“Where’s the border?”
“Barely 150 m from here.”
“Two scouts. Go ahead.”
The Nigerian officer sends men on a recon mission to find enemy soldiers that could be waiting in ambush.
“Clear the bridge.”
“Remove the obstacles.”
Here’s the Kamadugu River that marks the border with Nigeria.
“They tried to cross the border three times. They tried to capture our base using force, but we beat them down and drove them away. The proof is the corpses they left behind.”
“Spread out in front. It’s possible.”
“It’s possible we’re being watched because there are large trees around here. That’s why we always survey the area.”
On this side of the river, Nigeria begins.
“Now we’re in Nigeria.”
“Protect them”
“and the territory of Boko Haram.”
“There’s the corpse.”
The officer knows that jihadists never refuse the chance to fight. The latest attack took place here just a few days ago. The bodies of Boko Haram soldiers still litter the ground.
“Often when they fight us, they’re on drugs.”
“How can you tell that they’re on drugs?”
“They keep going even when injured.”
“That’s right. Even when you wound them, they come back to fight. It’s not over until you get them in the head.”
“Do they show and yell?”
“They have their tactics. They’re bloodthirsty. They want to win at all costs. This is a very dangerous group. And someone who takes drugs, loses consciousness, then slits throats and shoots people, cannot be religious. It’s impossible. What they do is incomprehensible. Religion has never condoned these actions. It really is terrorism. They need to be wiped out.”
This battle did not only result in deaths. The Nigerian soldiers were able to achieve something rare. They captured these members of Boko Haram who had hoped to conquer the city. Now they are prisoners at Diffa’s central police station before being transferred to the capital.
“This is Boko Haram.”
“Shirtless, shoeless.”
“Stand up.”
“They obey the prison guards and remain silent.”
“Move forward.”
Returning to their cells, they seem harmless. The opposite of how they are on the battlefield, violent and deadly. But they are not the only ones. The Nigerian army has also been accused of serious acts of violence by Amnesty International. One case in particular made headlines worldwide. In 2014, Boko Haram attacked a barracks in Nigeria that served as a prison. The prisoners released by the jihadists, but they were quickly and fiercely suppressed.
“The Nigerian military recaptured the escapees and executed 640 of them. Many of them were not soldiers for Boko Haram.”
More seriously, according to a secret military report that the human rights organization was able to get a hold of, the soldiers carried out arbitrary executions.
“Remain seated. You bastards are going to die.”
These images were obtained by Amnesty International. Here, prisoners are beaten to death. Here, soldiers pour a jug of melted plastic on the skin of their captive.
“And here, the military executes men in mass graves dug by the prisoners themselves.”
Back in Diffa in Niger on the border of Nigeria. During Boko Haram’s attack, the main target was the governor’s residence. Since then, it has been strictly protected. Inside, the governor continues to remain on guard.
“When we captured one of Boko Haram’s leaders in Diffa, we found a map on which the governor’s residence was marked. The military base, the guards, when they set out to eliminate people, they had their plan of attack.”
The governor questions Boko Haram’s objectives.
“Do they really want an Islamic state? Because to have that, they would need something to control. What will be left for them to control if they’re burning down cities and slaughtering everyone?”
“You can’t negotiate with criminals.”
In the military camp, soldiers kneel for the evening prayers. For Colonel Mussa Barmu, it’s meal time. He eats with his officers tonight. His troops are in battle. They want to recapture a small town from Islamist militia men. The operations room is adjacent to his office.
“Okay, here’s the situation in Gaza. Our men have made contact with the enemy. Then these fuckers reacted by attacking the village of Dewa.”
The battle against Boko Haram is taking place in neighboring Nigeria. Soldiers returned from the border.
“We’re back from the front. We were in Nigeria. This is ammunition we took from Boko Haram in Nigeria.”
“It’s a souvenir.”
The soldiers shared these images with us of the battle to recapture the town. Some equipment is brand new. On this Chadian truck, a state-of-the-art rocket launcher made in Russia. We see Western Advisers, probably employed by a private military corporation funded by the United States. The pickup trucks move forward in a line while firing at jihadists. We hear the sounds of mortars, missiles, machine guns. The attack has begun. The battle lasts 3 hours. The Islamists will abandon the village. It’s a victory.
In the morning, I get permission to go to Nigeria myself.
“On the road to the airport, we pass several French special forces vehicles.”
On a tarmac, French commandos protect the unloading of a plane arriving from N’Djamena, the capital of neighboring Chad. To reach the theater of operations, we board one of the Nigerian Army’s helicopters. The aircraft flies over the Kamadugu River, which marks the border. We land in Nigeria where the battle has just ended. Lieutenant Colonel Tumba commands the Nigerian battalion. Apparently, his men managed to surprise Boko Haram.
“Their food was still hot when we found them. They were just about to eat, but things didn’t go as they’d planned. They’ve committed atrocities against the people here. 10 days ago, they burned down some houses. People have been forced to leave the city.”
The Nigerian soldiers are satisfied.
“You participated in the battle yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“Did they put up a strong resistance?”
“No, they couldn’t withstand us. We’re stronger than them.”
“They don’t have the techniques. They’re not trained military. They empty their charges everywhere. We take aim and we strike.”
“This is a Dragunov rifle. How far away can you shoot?”
“1,000 m.”
“You’ve already shot at Boko Haram.”
“Yes, I hit five of them.”
“Wounded or dead?”
“Dead.”
“One in the eye. Another here.”
“Another here with one bullet.”
“Yes, one bullet.”
Since then, the conquered village is deserted, but the soldiers are wary. Boko Haram usually leaves some soldiers behind to fight a rear guard action. This morning, the military wants to ensure that there are no snipers lying in ambush.
“I’m ready to fight.”
The buildings that burned the night before could be hiding prospective martyrs.
“The convoy takes narrow dirt alleyways between walls which are conducive to ambushes.”
“Move forward.”
“The patrol ends by foot. Clearly, the soldiers have not been back to the village since Boko Haram withdrew.”
“What do you fear the most right now?”
“Being taken by surprise.”
“You go alone. Run and take position fast.”
“Get behind me.”
After an hour spent patrolling, all is quiet. Boko Haram seems to have fled.
“The civilians will come back if we’re here.”
“They’re our brothers, our mothers, our sisters. We’re defending the integrity of our country and neighboring country. We’re proud of that.”
We leave Nigeria. Faced with several months of attacks from African armies, Boko Haram will avoid carrying out frontal assaults from this point forward. They will change their tactics. The war will now take place on the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. We go there.
For Islamist fanatics, there is no state, no borders, but a caliphate in the heart of Africa where the Sharia should reign. Their target in recent months is the prefecture of Maroua in Cameroon. At the airport, a plane from the US Air Force brings materials to the Cameroonian troops. The army is on the alert. Boko Haram has infiltrated the city.
“Someone needs to go with him.”
Europeans are rare here and very much at risk. An escort will stay by our side throughout our investigation. To protect us, the front of our hotel is heavily guarded. The police’s main concern are suicide attacks. The number of these attacks is increasing, causing panic in the streets. Police put up posters with specific instructions for the inhabitants.
“This allows civilians to identify possible terrorists and take precautions to avoid explosions.”
The poster details the telltale signs of a terrorist: tired eyes, a distracted or nervous behavior, their hand grasping an object that could be a detonator. You can even learn that suicide bombers often perfume themselves as preparation for their entry to heaven.
“There’s a free phone number 1500 that anyone can call. Often it’s civilians who give the most information to law enforcement agencies.”
These precautions date back to the summer of 2015 when a suicide bombing in the city’s fabric market left 13 dead and dozens injured.
“In the emergency room of the hospital, which is badly equipped, medical staff is overwhelmed. Survivors are lying on the floor in the bloody corridors.”
The city is in shock. A generally peaceful area, this small Christian community now feels threatened. The priest, Father Antonio, is Spanish. Outside, volunteers search the parishioners with metal detectors.
“They even search young children. One of Boko Haram’s tactics is to use them as human bombs.”
“Sometimes the bombers use small children. They put a bomb on them and tell them where to go. Children don’t understand what it is. That’s why we check everyone.”
“The evil and violence that threatens us here is everywhere.”
“We saw it in Paris with 129 dead, 300 wounded. The violence affects everyone.”
During the service, a watchman stands guard. He ensures that no terrorists throw bombs over the wall or fire from the street into the church.
“Since we began guarding the market, Pong district, and the church, we’ve killed many people. We’ve had to take matters into our own hands.”
“What’s your biggest fear?”
“the terrorists more than anything.”
But in Maroua, it’s not only Christians who are in danger. The town has a mostly Muslim population, and they’ve already been hit repeatedly by Boko Haram. The street leading to the mosque, the mosque Yaya, is closed. Car bombs pose a threat. Here, too. A vigilance committee frisks the worshippers one by one. From a balcony. There’s even a watchman keeping an eye on the crowd.
“There are people who might come here with explosives. Everyone needs to be checked. And people accept being checked. There’s no problem.”
“Yes, they accept it. They know that it’s necessary.”
“Hey, you with the bag.”
“Stop right there. He has a big bag. I don’t trust bags. That’s how we work here.”
The guards also worry about women hiding explosives under their clothes. They forbid them to wear the burka. Only headscarves are allowed when entering the mosque.
“These precautions still don’t prevent the terrorists from striking whenever they want. That’s what happened just nearby the mosque Yaya. Terrorists placed a bomb on a 10-year-old child, a village beggar. Her body was severed in half at the waist by the power of the explosion.”
“Did she set off the bomb herself or did a terrorist use a remote detonator?”
“It was a carnage. 20 people died instantly and about 60 others were seriously injured. It all happened on a Saturday in this spot. A group of regulars were gathered in front of the coffee merchant. At 2 p.m., the explosion. The wall still bears marks from the blast. The cafe owner’s table is still there.”
His sons, Bashir and Yuf, often passed by the scene of the explosion.
“I heard the explosion.”
“I was close by, but when I arrived, everyone was already dead.”
“Then they were taken to the hospital.”
“Our bodyguards are on the alert in this busy and crowded district. A man in a jalaba approaches. They check him.”
“It’s a member of the vigilance committee.”
“The man belongs to the district vigilance committee. He is responsible for identifying unknown individuals. The day of the attack, he was one of the first to arrive on the scene as soon as he heard the explosion.”
“It was a sound like I’ve never heard in my life.”
“It made so much noise. There were dismembered parts everywhere. The bodies were thrown 50 or 100 meters. An arm was found in a neighbor’s house.”
Umate takes us to a house right next to the tragic scene.
“A man lives there in seclusion since his release from the hospital. It’s a miracle he survived.”
“Mr. Mustafa is a friend of mine. He was there at the explosion. He has a broken arm and several fractures.”
“I have a fracture and wound here. And I lost my eye.”
“It was horrible.”
Mustafa Sali will never forget the moments just before the explosion, nor his lost friends with whom he was talking about their shared passion, football.
“We were discussing the French championship. My favorite team is Marseilles. One was for Paris, the other one was for Lyon. We were chatting about transfers and that sort of thing. It was at that time that the young kamikaze arrived.”
“A beggar girl came up to us and asked for something to eat. My friend, Mr. Boubakar, gave her 100 Francs. He was killed by the explosion.”
“It’s a sect. They’re brainwashed. So, they’re prepared to do anything. Prepared even to die.”
Those closest to the front line in the fight against Boko Haram are the BIR, the Rapid Intervention Brigade. They were trained by the Israeli army. Their camp lies just outside the city. Commander Malate, chief of operations, knows the enemy’s tactics.
“Suicide bombers are mostly children and women.”
“What’s the profile?”
“The widow of a soldier who’s been captured or killed, who then separates from her family for a time ranging from 6 months to a year. She’ll have a thorough indoctrination with the Quran. They’ll give her training in explosives. Then finally, a holy man will drill her and brainwash her. And then she’ll be sent into action.”
Faced with suicide bombings, the BIR are adapting and making use of new technology.
“When I search them, I’m looking for evidence like SIM cards or memory sticks.”
“For you, a SIM card is as important as a weapon.”
“More important than a weapon, a phone card might have information, photos, phone calls that we can trace so we can know who he’s in contact with, whether here in Cameroon or elsewhere.”
This morning, the BIR are receiving forensic science training.
“For DNA tests,”
“you rub from the bottom up to fight against Islamic infiltration.”
Police use state-of-the-art technology, a computer database in which they store photos and DNA data.
“It’s like criminal investigation work. That’s right. We’re transforming into smarter fighters who are no longer required to use force to get information.”
“We’re exploiting new technology.”
The most troubled zone today is the northern part of the country near Nigeria, the Kolofata region. We go there. Boko Haram frequently conducts raids there in the heart of the city in broad daylight. In fall 2014, jihadists burned the houses of various public figures, killing several people and taking hostages. It was behind this wall that they captured the mayor, Seini Boukar, who is also a traditional king or lamido as they say here.
After 76 days in captivity, the mayor was released in a prisoner exchange. With him were 10 Chinese workers who were captured while building a road. All hostages were unharmed and evacuated by airplane. Since then, the king has taken refuge far from Boko Haram, 250 kilometers away in Garoua, where he now lives with his family.
“Hello, welcome. Please come in.”
He shows us pictures of the attacked property where his brother and a holy man were killed in his home, executed by the Islamists.
“Here are the rooms where it took place. The holy man lived in the left. He taught religion to the children. He was killed in front of his Quran. And on the right was my brother who was staying with us at that time.”
“He was also murdered in cold blood.”
“This is the youngest of the hostages. You can sit by me.”
His wife and six of his children were captured with him. A miracle they are still alive. The family will never forget the day jihadists attacked their home in Kolofata.
“I heard them yell Allahu Akbar, the Boko Haram battle cry. And I heard them try the door handle. It was locked so they shut it off.”
“And I thought, we’re not going to make it out of here.”
The family was taken to Nigeria about 30 kilometers from Cameroon in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s hideout, home to Islamist camps. This is where these propaganda videos were filmed.
“Boko Haram is made up of Nigerians, Cameroonians. There were so many people there. It’s no exaggeration to say that there were at least 20,000 to 30,000 people.”
The couple was not abused, but they witnessed horror.
“We saw people headed to a location as if they were going to a football stadium, but they were going to an execution point. Executions had to be done publicly. We saw other captives that were killed, shot, heard the spectators cries of victory.”
“When you see other captives being killed, you wonder if your turn is next. If you’re considered an accomplice or supporter of the state, the army, the administration, they will decapitate you. They are convinced that each abominable act they carry out will be a bonus in paradise. They believe that the West and the Jews have oppressed Islam for the last 300 years and that now it’s time to put things in order. For them, it’s a global movement. If you look at their flag, it’s the same one in Syria, in Iraq. They told the Chinese, ‘We already have Muslims fighting for us in China.’ They even asked them if they would convert to Islam when they returned. And when I translated the question, they told me no. I said to them, ‘Don’t be stupid. Just say yes.'”
“After I explained, they understood.”
Since the King mayor’s abduction, military operations in Kolofata are increasingly intense.
“Distance 50 m minimum. Risk of ambush.”
In Kolofata, the BIR are on the front line. Their camp has been subjected to several attacks and infiltration attempts. They are on a war footing round the clock.
“I think they should wait for us at the checkpoint.”
“This is their leader.”
“The two of us will go in this vehicle.”
Commander Quenum Betus. He’s leaving this morning for an operation with 50 men.
“He counts on everyone being ready for the task at hand.”
“Every military convoy represents a target for jihadists.”
“Attention all task force. Direction Tonga to join the PC. Take the main road. Move forward.”
Many vehicles are equipped with heavy machine guns. The convoy will travel 9 km on a high-risk path to reach Kerawa on the Nigerian border. Boko Haram soldiers are using it as a rear base to attack Cameroon. Boko Haram films most of their attacks for propaganda purposes.
“The films show that the Islamists are very wellarmed with weapons and ammunition abandoned by the Nigerian military.”
“It is thanks to this arsenal that the group has become a real army.”
4 days ago, a landmine was detected on the road just minutes before the commander’s convoy drove through. He wants to show us the exact location. When stopped, we are more vulnerable. In case jihadists are hiding in the bush, he deploys his men to survey the area around us.
“Where was it exactly?”
“The landmine was placed here so that the vehicle would go over it and explode.”
“The landmine may seem very small, but the damage would have been enormous.”
“We were informed by some sources who had seen them place the explosive. That’s how we were able to find it and neutralize it.”
We arrive at the village of Kerawa close to the Nigerian border.
“Hi guys, how are you? This is one of the jihadist infiltration points for entering Cameroon and expanding their territory in Francophone Africa.”
“These checkpoints have been implemented to reduce the risk of suicide attacks because we are targets. Despite these efforts, we’ve had trouble. There was an attack recently.”
“When was that?”
“Four or five days ago.”
“We’ll stop here.”
The villagers have gathered in the square. This market was a scene of several kamikaze attacks recently. The last one took place 10 days ago. The villagers hate these Islamists who are constantly targeting them.
“Boko Haram are criminals, killers.”
“They kidnap our girls. They kill our men. We are so worried. We Muslims, we pray for them to be wiped out.”
“They’re really bad people. They have no moral limits. They’ll use pregnant women, children, women with babies. Nothing is a transgression for them. We’re prepared for this now. And so at our checkpoints, we don’t lower our guard for anyone because we know that the enemy will try to deceive us.”
“Reminder to increase vigilance. We’re approaching the border.”
“If the enemy is present, this will be an opportunity to neutralize them immediately. The border is about 100 meters from our current position there where the armored vehicle is. This is one of the main entry points between Nigeria and Cameroon.”
The final meters to the border are the most dangerous. The officer chooses to move forward between houses.
“If we are targeted by Boko Haram, he and his men could take refuge there to fire back.”
“Everyone, maximum vigilance.”
“We walk in the footsteps of his lieutenant. He enters by the dry riverbed that marks the border. Nigeria begins here.”
“Now we’re at the Mayo which marks the separation between Kerawa Cameroon and Kerawa Nigeria.”
“On the other side the buildings seem to be deserted but looks can be deceiving. Boko Haram could be hiding there.”
“Are there Nigerian security forces there?”
“No. Currently there is no security on that side. Let’s go up to the platform because there’s no security here. The other side of the border is not being monitored right now.”
The commander does not want to remain out in the open any longer.
“This is a location that was originally occupied by the Nigerian army’s administration and then the army was forced to withdraw at a certain point and it became controlled by Boko Haram. The bullet holes you see on the walls are from that time. After the fighting, the inhabitants deserted the city and now there are only a few civilians in this area. Some civilians and also probably some Boko Haram soldiers hidden in the ruins. We will not see them today.”
“Hello, how are you? You okay?”
“Children are the future of the country and we hope that our work will help them receive the education they deserve.”
The officer has just been warned that gunmen are roaming in the bush.
“I’ve been told that there are 20 soldiers on motorbikes between here and Kafata. They want to cause trouble. What I say? Great. Let’s see them try.”
Accomplices in the village might have informed Boko Haram of our presence. The commander fears that the jihadists will try something.
“We have to watch the foot traffic. We have to limit contact with civilians, with everyone.”
“How would we know if they had a bomb?”
“He is suspicious of everyone.”
“You there? Move to one side.”
“Lift your shirt.”
“Turn around.”
“Lift again.”
“Okay, you can move forward.”
“Do you do this routinely with everyone who enters the village?”
“Yes, we do this automatically to screen people crossing Kerawa who are going towards Kafata.”
“Are they okay?”
“Yes, they can come through.”
“It’s fine. Is it aggravating to be searched all the time?”
“It’s fine. It allows them to see if someone is hiding something like a bomb. Without checkpoints, bad people could get through.”
The commander prefers that we resume our path before dark.
“Has our presence here been noticed?”
“Absolutely. They’re very much aware of it and there may be repercussions.”
We leave the BIR. We return to Maroua and Father Antonio’s church.
The priest is one of the last Europeans in the region, but he doesn’t want to give into fear.
“After mass in the sacristy, he spoke to us with candor.”
“Praying is important, my brother Patrick. We pray because we’re at war. We’re threatened.”
“Do you represent the devil for Boko Haram?”
“Well, we represent a lot of things they don’t agree with, but that’s how it is.”
“Because you’re a foreigner.”
“Yes. And from a culture that is for them abominable, where we have so much freedom. For them, we represent all the abominations.”
“Christians are a minority in the neighborhood of his parish. Islamic extremists could target the priest.”
“Father Antonio knows the risks involved.”
“If you let fear penetrate your heart, it’s over. You can’t stay here. And we must stay here. It’s decisive. And more important than what we do is the fact that we are here with these people through difficult times.”
It’s fighting them which is complicated. The movement has sworn allegiance to ISIS, the terrorist group responsible for the Paris attacks last November. These images filmed by Boko Haram and recently broadcast by CNN show hundreds of Chibok school girls taken hostage by the Islamic group who appear to still be alive. Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau would be inclined to cease fire as this video seems to reveal. On the contrary, other combatants appear to call for intensification of the conflict.
