The trade and development minister, Mogens Jensen, has condemned the Islamist militant group Boko Haram for its recent attack in Nigeria and is looking into helping the victims.
Boko Haram recently besieged and butchered civilians in a number of areas around the town of Baga in north-eastern Nigeria. Hundreds are estimated to have died – some estimates say as many as 2,000 – and thousands were forced to flee their homes.
”Based on recent reports, I’ve asked my officials to estimate whether Denmark has some options to contribute to helping the victims of Boko Haram’s madness,” Jensen said in a press release. ”It will depend on specific needs and requests, but if they are forthcoming, then we are ready.”
The attack on Baga is considered the most lethal Boko Haram attack in more than five years, and the UN says that over 1.5 million people are currently internally displaced in Nigeria, while over 60,000 have fled across the borders to Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
From Cameroon’s perspective, the situation is quickly becoming untenable as it is already having to deal with a considerable flow of refugees across its borders due to the conflict in the Central African Republic.
”Unfortunately, we are seeing many faces of extremism these days and Boko Haram is one of the ugliest,” Jensen said. ”The eyes of the world are focused on IS and Islamic terror in Paris and the Middle East, but we mustn’t forget what is going on in northern Nigeria and in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.”
This is coming against the back drop of criticism of the world for giving the attack in Paris more prominence and attention while Boko Haram committed it’s more heinous act to date in Baga which was largely ignored.
