Attack by armed Fulani herdsmen kills five Cameroonian soldiers on border

MP for the district of Akwaya in southwestern Cameroon Aka Martin Tyoga has said that armed assailants from Nigeria killed at least five Cameroonian soldiers.

Moreover, several others were injured in the village of Bakinjaw, located on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.  

This incident is the latest in a series of attempts to capture territory in the region. Aka Martin Tyoga said that the attack took place early on January 3 when hundreds of armed Fulani herdsmen crossed the border from Taraba state in Nigeria to attack a military post.

He stated it was a retaliation for the killing of several herdsmen by Cameroonian soldiers the previous day. Agwa Linus, the traditional ruler of Bakinjaw, confirmed that the attackers also set his home on fire. 

"This is not the first time they are attacking - it's very unfortunate," he said.

Conflicts often arise between farmers and the nomadic Fulani over access to water and grazing land. Sometimes, these disputes escalate into armed clashes. The Cameroonian authorities send military units to areas where tensions between communities are high, with the aim of preventing armed conflicts.

By Naila Huseynova