Borno Elders Fret as Boko Haram Surround Maiduguri

Borno Elders Forum, an influential regional group has warned that Boko Haram fighters have surrounded the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri and are preparing an imminent takeover and called for military reinforcements.

Nigeria’s military has however, described the elders’ warning as “alarmist”, saying it was “clearly intended to cause panic in the city and the nation”.

Maiduguri has special significance for Boko Haram. It was where the heavily armed Islamist group was founded as an anti-corruption movement in 2002 and is regarded as its spiritual home.

The forum voiced its fears after Boko Haram seized a number of towns and villages across Borno and in neighbouring Yobe and Adamawa states in recent weeks and declared one of them part of an Islamic caliphate.

In Borno, the militants are now said to control an area from the north around Lake Chad, down to the eastern border with Cameroon and round to Bama, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Maiduguri to the south.

Nigeria’s military has claimed to have retaken Bama, but the elders said the government needed to act, asserting that the militants were in reach of the city.

“They have declared their caliphate is an independent Islamic State with their headquarters at the all-important and military strategic city of Gwoza,” the elders said in an emailed statement.

“They declared the Gwoza Emir’s palace as their seat of government, hoisting their flag there. They have annexed and are sitting in court in several other key towns and regions…