At least 20,000 people have fled the town of Marte to the city of Dikwa in Nigeria after militant attacks intensified in the northeast of Borno state. This was reported by Reuters, citing state governor Babagana Zulum.

About four years ago, the Borno state authorities resettled residents in Marte as part of a program to close camps for displaced persons in the state capital Maiduguri and promoted this plan as a model for other cities previously controlled by rebels.

Zulumu stressed that leaving residents in the camp in Dikwa is dangerous, as it makes young people “vulnerable to recruitment by militants.”

Earlier in May, militants from Islamist groups attacked a Nigerian army base in Borno state and kidnapped several servicemen. Armed Islamists arrived on motorcycles and cars at the military base in the Marte area at around 2 a.m. and began a siege. Nigeria has suffered from terrorist attacks for many years, especially in the northeast of the country.

The most active group in the region is the Boko Haram which emerged in Nigeria in 2009. The ensuing conflict, which drew in other jihadist groups, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced about two million.