In northern Cameroon, where attacks by Boko Haram killed more than 1,500 people since 2011, vigilantes have been at the forefront of the fight against the Nigerian-based Islamist militant group, the AFP news agency reports.
The vigilante groups are made of civilians who have voluntarily taken up arms to back up the government in its efforts to drive Boko Haram from the country.
They are mainly active in the northern city of Kolofata, where they have erected five checkpoints to monitor movements into town – day and night.
Kolofata made headlines in July 2014 when more than 100 Boko Haram fighters from the neighbouring Nigerian town of Kerawa launched an attack and abducted the wife of a Cameroon’s deputy prime minister.
Kassala Mahamat, a vigilante group leader, told AFP:
We search all those arriving here from Kerawa. If we identify a suicide bomber who intends to proceed, we shoot at him.” Mr Mahamat says vigilante groups prevented several suicide attacks and ensured a low number of casualties when Boko Haram succeeded occasionally in striking.
Source: bbc.com
