Cameroon closes Mosques in the fight against terrorism

Security in Yaoundé has tightened after the suicide bombing that occurred in the city of Maroua, Northern Cameroon, on Saturday, July 25.

The attack, caused by a 12 year old teenager killed 21 people and injured nearly 80 few days after a bloody attack in the same city on July 22 which killed 13 people.

The attacks were attributed to the terrorist group Boko Haram, which is rife in Nigeria. In response, the authorities decided to close all Mosques, Islamic schools and centers at the extreme north of Cameroon for an indefinite period. The exercise started on Sunday, July 27.

It was a decision that shocked the Muslims in a Christian dominated country who, more than ever, fears the consequences of this confusion with the terrorists.

After the attacks in Maroua, a series of strong measures were launched by the state against terrorism. It includes the closure of shops from 18h (6pm), the introduction of a curfew at 19h (7pm) and the prohibition of motorcycles moving at night.

Like its neighboring Chad, the ban on the full veil (niqab) was extended to parts of Cameroon. The niqab has already been banned in the far north of the country after an attack on July 12 to Fotokol; where Boko Haram first made an attack in February in response to the defeat by Cameroon against them. About 80 people, irrespective of religion, were killed during the attack where a Mosque was burnt.

Thirty faithful, including the Imam, who were praying at the time were murdered. However, the authorities' decision to close places of worship in the fight against terrorism has not gone down well with Muslims.