Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram has captured the town of Banki, which borders Cameroon, after government troops fled, residents say.

The military has not yet commented on the latest town to reportedly fall to the insurgents in recent weeks.

Fears have been raised that their main target is Maiduguri, the capital of north-eastern Borno state.

Boko Haram's "lightning territorial gains" could lead to Nigeria breaking up like Iraq, a think-thank has warned.

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"If Maiduguri falls, it will be a symbolic and strategic victory unparalleled so far in the conflict”

Nigeria Security Network
Last month, Boko Haram leader's declared an Islamic caliphate in areas under the group's control, following a similar declaration by the Islamic State (IS) group, previously known by the acronym Isis, after it captured parts of Iraq and Syria.

"Unless swift action is taken, Nigeria could be facing a rapid takeover of a large area of its territory reminiscent of Isis's lightning advances in Iraq," the Nigeria Security Network (NSN) said in a special report released on Tuesday entitled North-East Nigeria On The Brink.

"If Maiduguri falls, it will be a symbolic and strategic victory unparalleled so far in the conflict," it said.


"A successful attack could be followed by a take over of the whole of Borno state and possibly parts of Adamawa, Yobe, and neighbouring Cameroon."

The UN refugee agency has said the fighting has forced more than 10,000 people to flee to neighbouring Cameroon and Niger in the past week, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Meanwhile, regional foreign ministers have held talks in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, to discuss the growing security threat.

Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Benin and Niger agreed to step up security co-operation, including intelligence-gathering, to defeat the militants, a statement issued after the meeting said.

'Hiding in bush'
Residents from Banki say that government troops abandoned their posts as the militants advanced on the small border town on Tuesday.

Most of the people remaining in the town were women and children, as many of the men had fled, one man who was hiding in the bush nearby told the BBC Hausa service.


Some three million are facing a humanitarian crisis because of the conflict

Soldiers say they do not have enough resources to fight the insurgents

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has praised militants in Iraq
The militants have not harmed anyone in the town, residents said.

The capture of Banki gives Boko Haram leverage as it tries to secure territory beyond north-eastern Nigeria, says BBC Nigeria analyst Jimeh Saleh.

Earlier this week, Boko Haram seized Bama, the biggest town in Borno after Maiduguri, which is about 70km (45 miles) away.

Meanwhile, Cameroon's army has said that militants crossed into Cameroonian territory on Monday night.

The militants were pushed back after a three-hour battle, it said in a statement.

About 40 militants were killed and an army corporal was seriously wounded in the fighting, it added.

Boko Haram's five-year insurgency has intensified in recent months despite the deployment of thousands of extra troops to the worst-affected areas.

The military has denied that Nigeria's territorial integrity is threatened.

But Nigerian soldiers say they do not have enough resources to curb the insurgency.

In April, the militants captured more than 200 girls from a boarding school in the town of Chibok, also in Borno state.

Countries such as China, France, the UK and US have sent military assistance to help find the girls but they have not yet been rescued.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29048394?ocid=socialflow_twitter

NgeneUkwenu: Eight towns reportedly gone?

We are finished as a country!

NgeneUkwenu: Eight towns reportedly gone?

We are finished as a country!

NgeneUkwenu: Eight towns reportedly gone?

We are finished as a country!

NgeneUkwenu: Eight towns reportedly gone?

We are finished as a country!

Firefire:


You need urgent DELIVERANCE...

JANK23H: @Op these are the sort of news you are quick to post. Sometimes I wonder the depth of your hatred for GEJ, that you long to see your country burn and her image destroyed as long as he remains president.

I'll wait till this news has been verified,before i make a comment. The BBC has lost it's credibility recently especially as it involves the war in the NorthEast.

Notice how they painted the NA and the men in bornu as cowards in the article and the camerounian army as a formidable force.

Krucifax: The African mindset still remains an enigma to me. The OP has shared information that is readily available from news houses all over the world. Instead of discussing the issues highlighted and plaguing our nation some commentators are busy attacking the poster!

I don't care about the poster or what he/she has allegedly done in the past, let us stick to the subject matter. The story is not fabricated,this is very real and happened today by all accounts. We have a marauding terrorist group killing your fellow country men in large numbers and sacking towns and you are busy addressing the poster?? Nigerians can be really strange!!

tomakint: This is why Seun keeps clamping on these loose 'Children of Belial' by banning them, locking their threads.....very unruly set of blood sucking human-demons who never saw anything good in their President, always quick to congregate like hungry rats to 'debate on negative news' just to malign Nairaland (somebody's sweat) and His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan!

NgeneUkwenu: Eight towns reportedly gone?

We are finished as a country!

And the sponsor( PDP heavyweight) is busy shedding crocodile tears!

NgeneUkwenu: Eight towns reportedly gone?

We are finished as a country!

And the sponsor( PDP heavyweight) is busy shedding crocodile tears!

BlackTechnology: OP
Your map reveals that BH are planning to encircle Maiduguri

bizlifelines:
Gbam!! that was the first thing that came to my mind. I am sure that every intelligent security professional will find this report useful. Unless it's proven to be false, this report if well utilized will be helpful to both sides, whether Boko haram or the FGN. The country and those in administration truly need genuine advice and patriotic leaders who can help resolve this "civil war".Nigeria will rise above our present challenge. The country needs leaders with tremendous goodwill among the led, if the present leaders can just get it right, the war will end same day.
God bless my country

omenka: @ NgeneUkwenu: Errrm, I thought Oga at the top forbade us earlier in the day from posting anything that seems to reveal the failure of our government in the ongoing war... Just hope you don't get banned doing this!!

Still in shock as regards the content of that thread. Wonder why it was taken down.