Rann, Borno
Rann | |
|---|---|
  Rann Location in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates: 12°16′12″N 14°27′49″E / 12.2701°N 14.4636°E | |
| Country | Nigeria |
| State | Borno |
| Population (2017) | |
• Total | 43,000+ |
Rann is a town in Borno State, Nigeria, adjacent to the border with Cameroon. It was home to a camp for internally displaced people.[1][2]
History
Rann is one of the localities in north-eastern Nigeria that have become accessible to humanitarian organizations. Emergency assistance is gradually being increased in areas that were previously unreachable. In Rann, around 43,000 people are internally displaced and struggle with serious food shortages and severe acute malnutrition. Humanitarian access to the area has been difficult due to insecurity and bad roads, as stated by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in its press release.[3] On 17 January 2017, the Nigerian Air Force mistakenly bombed the camp, leaving at least 52 people dead and over 100 injured.[2][4][5]
On 14 January 2019, Rann was overrun by Boko Haram insurgents amid a general increase of insurgent attacks in the area,[6] and destroyed, with many inhabitants fleeing across the border to Bodo in Cameroon.[1][7] At the time, the town had been home to 35,000 refugees. Though the attack was initially attributed to Abu Musab al-Barnawi's ISWAP, Abubakar Shekau's Boko Haram later claimed responsibility.[7] Though the Nigerian military and allied Cameroonian Armed Forces forces subsequently retook Rann, they later abandoned it, so Boko Haram launched another raid against the town on 28 January 2019. The militants again set the settlement ablaze, murdered local elders, and caused tens of thousands to flee.[8] This time, the refugees from Rann relocated to Goura in Cameroon's Far North Region.[9]
In August 2021, Rann was overrun by ISWAP insurgents who destroyed the local barracks and looted the settlement before retreating back into the bush.[10]
References
- ^ a b Thomas Joscelyn; Caleb Weiss (17 January 2019). "Thousands flee Islamic State West Africa offensive in northeast Nigeria". Long War Journal. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- ^ a b Quinn, Ben; Akinwotu, Emmanuel (17 January 2017). "Nigeria air strike: dozens dead as camp for internally displaced people hit by mistake". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^ EMERGENCY RESPONSE MOBILISED FOLLOWING AIRSTRIKE ON RANN LOCALITY.
- ^ Stephanie Busari and Ibrahim Sawab (January 17, 2019). "Nigerian fighter jet strikes refugees, aid workers in Borno". CNN.
- ^ Searcey, Dionne (17 January 2017). "Nigerian Jet Mistakenly Bombs Refugee Camp, Killing Scores". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^ "Islamic State insurgents overrun northeast Nigerian town: security..." 14 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019 – via www.Reuters.com.
- ^ a b Fergus Kelly (17 January 2019). "Shekau Boko Haram faction claims attack in Rann, Nigeria". Defense Post. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- ^ Paul Carsten (1 February 2019). "After Nigerian army abandoned town, Boko Haram slaughtered at least 60". Reuters. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- ^ "'No other possibility but to leave': UN News special report from the Nigeria-Cameroon border as 35,000 newly-displaced seek safety". UN News. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- ^ Wale Odunsi (1 September 2021). "Borno: ISWAP claims 10 Nigerian troops died in Rann attack". Daily Post. Retrieved 23 September 2021.