Original subtitles

- On the border of Cameroun in Nigeria,

this village is threatened daily by Boko Haram,

the most deadly terrorist organization in the world.

To protect themselves, the villagers have created

a militia equipped with machetes, bows and arrows.

But mostly, they rely on the soldiers of

the Camerounian army.

This isolated outpost in the middle of the hills

is commanded by Lieutenant Dang.

- We are at the outpost in Din-Din.

- [Narrator] Every morning, the officer puts pressure

on his men.

- Commanding officer, quick, quick, quick!

At the ready!

- [Narrator] The outpost is even equipped to the mortar.

The lieutenant knows that Boko Haram is nearby.

- This is Nigeria ahead of us.

The houses you see right there?

- [Interpreter] How many meters?

- 200, 300 meters.

My job is to secure the border, and prevent Boko Haram's

raids, so people can live in peace.

We're on the lookout around the clock,

whether for suicide bombers, or actual warfare.

- [Interpreter] What if someone comes up to you,

what do you do?

- If someone comes up to us, we identify them

from a distance.

If they're threatening, it's over for them.

- Boko Haram?

No way, not here, we will wipe them out.

- Boko Haram, your days are numbered!

- [Narrator] Boko Haram is tens of thousands

of fanatical Islamist fighters who are spreading

terror in the heart of Africa.

The movement began in northern Nigeria, poor,

with a mostly Muslim population.

An area that doesn't enjoy the same prosperity

as the Christian, oil-rich south.

Boko Haram is also its leader, Abubakar Shekau,

a very dangerous man.

- Today, our religion is to kill, slaughter, slay,

massacre ...

- [Narrator] As we see in these propaganda videos,

Shekau believes himself to be invincible,

and declares war on the entire world in the name

of the Qu-ran.

- Obama, Francois Hollande, Queen Elizabeth, they will not

kill me, the infidels of the world will not kill me.

We follow the orders of the Qu'ran in the name of Allah.

- [Narrator] Shekau and his 30,000 Jihadists

use particularly bloody methods.

They ruthlessly cut the throats or execute their enemies

to terrorize the public.

It was on April 14th, 2014, that Boko Haram

first made headlines worldwide.

(foreign name), one of their commandos, set fire to

a high school in the city of Chibok,

and captured 276 students.

All girls, aged 12 to 17.

A few days later, Boko Haram broadcast these images

of the girls.

They were reciting Muslim prayers.

165 of them are Christian, but they were forced

to convert.

- Are you Christian? - Yes.

- Now you're Muslim.

- [Narrator] The kidnapping caused a stir worldwide.

The general public came together behind the slogan,

bring back our girls.

Michelle Obama, very moved, made a public statement.

- Like millions of people across the globe,

my husband and I are outraged and heartbroken

over the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls.

- [Narrator] Even Hollywood mobilized behind

the actress, Julia Roberts.

At the Cannes Film Festival, the stars showed solidarity

on the red carpet.

- All this talk, because I kidnapped some girls.

I can confirm, yes, I'm the one who took them.

I intend to sell them on the market where

I sell human beings.

God instructed me to do this.

- [Narrator] Starting from Nigeria, the Islamists

began attacking the three neighboring countries.

Parts of Chad, Niger, and Cameroun, have become

Boko Haram land.

We'll carry out the investigation on the ground here,

as close as possible to the massacres and battles.

We will follow the soldiers who fight

these religious fanatics.

- [Interpreter] Will you cross the bridge?

- Protect them.

Move forward.

- [Narrator] We will talk with those who suffer

from their abuses.

- A man from Boko Haram said, why are you talking to him?

Just kill him.

And he shot my husband dead.

- [Narrator] We will also hear firsthand

reports from survivors of suicide bombings.

- I lost my eye.

It was horrible.

- [Narrator] We will see Jihadists captured in combat.

We will also speak with an African king,

a hostage of Boko Haram, who miraculously survived.

- And then I heard them try the doorhandle.

It was locked, so they shot it off.

And I thought, we're not going to make it out of here.

- The evil and violence that threatens us here

is everywhere.

- [Narrator] We will follow a priest who must confront

the danger of Boko Haram on a daily basis.

- We must stay here.

- [Narrator] Our investigation begins in Diffa,

in the southeast of Niger, on the Nigerian border,

in the heart of Boko Haram land.

- For Diffa, we have to land (mumbles).

Same color of the desert.

See?

- [Narrator] Diffa, a small town, has been repeatedly

stormed by Jihadists.

They were beaten back each time.

On the tarmac, MI-24 attack helicopters.

Faced with Boko Haram, a coalition of African countries

are involved in the fight.

Niger, Chad, Cameroun, and Nigeria.

We travel under escort to meet the Nigerian army's

general staff.

The base is very active.

This morning, there were reports of infiltration

of Boko Haram.

A pickup truck combs the surroundings.

- They're trying to infiltrate Niger.

I'm in charge of blocking and destroying them.

- [Narrator] The soldiers are well-armed and well-equipped.

They've just received more ammunition this morning.

It's in this building, every morning at 10 a.m.,

that the military leaders of the coalition

come together for a general staff meeting.

Chadian and Nigerian officers arrive.

More surprising, we see the arrival of

two lieutenants from the U.S. military.

As we can see, they are already acquainted with

the people here.

They are not the only western soldiers.

Two French officers arrive next.

A commander, second in from operation Barkhan,

further north in the Sahel, and his deputy.

Faced with the rise of Boko Haram, France

and the United States have placed some men

on temporary assignment here.

They are surprised by the presence of journalists,

and prefer not to talk to us.

Everyone is waiting for this man,

the leader of the fifth military region,

Colonel Moussa Bamu, who controls the operations

that are currently underway.

Every day, the colonel takes stock of that day's

military operations.

- Our goal is to rid our border completely

of Boko Haram.

We know that this is a dangerous task.

They have a foothold in Nigeria, and they still

have the means to retaliate.

But, we are continuing because it's essential,

and I know we have what it takes to gain

the upper hand.

- [Narrator] The colonel's problem is finding out

where the head of Boko Haram is hiding.

- Right now, we don't know exactly.

If we knew, then the war would be easy.

This is someone who's constantly moving,

who rarely spends two nights in the same place.

He communicates very little.

Which makes it difficult to catch him.

(laughing)

(speaking foreign language)

I don't think that he's a mentally stable person.

We can see in the videos that he's not right in the head.

But how could he have peace of mind, considering

all the atrocities he's committed?

- [Narrator] At the end of the meeting,

we interview a Nigerian officer.

Are Nigerians the only ones fighting?

- There are allies too.

They're friends.

The Chadians, the French, the Americans.

- No, the French army helps out, but they don't

participate in the war.

- [Narrator] The French military conducts intelligence,

pooling their information with the African army.

While the Americans use drones, like this one,

that flies over the camp.

- They help us with reconnaissance missions,

using their planes.

And so this has enabled us to intervene

by helicopter on many occasions.

- [Interpreter] They find them, and you destroy them?

- Exactly.

- [Interpreter] And you've had success?

- Several times.

- [Interpreter] You do precision bombing?

- That's right, tit for tat.

- [Narrator] Americans do more than just intelligence work.

Inside this enclosure, we see a heavily protected fort.

Behind the barb wire, not far away,

American soldiers.

They're training a Nigerian anti-terrorist unit.

Among the soldiers of the African coalition,

Boko Haram is dismissed in no uncertain terms.

- I describe them as drug addicts.

These people are thugs.

- You don't kill your Muslim brother.

You don't put bombs in mosques.

They're assholes.

Hypocrites of Islam.

I'll say it again, hypocrites of Islam.

- [Narrator] Hypocrites against which these soldiers

are waging a thankless war.

But for them, it's impossible to stand aside

and let Boko Haram invade their country.

Just a few days ago only seven kilometers

away from here, the Islamists made an attempt

to cross the border.

When we arrive there, we find men waiting in ambush,

sitting in foxholes.

They sleep here, because they fear another

surprise attack from Boko Haram.

- In these foxholes, we are protected.

Even from mortars, and we can defend ourselves.

We can shoot accurately without being seen

by the enemy.

- [Interpreter] Where's the border?

- Barely 150 meters from here.

- Two scouts, go ahead.

- [Narrator] The Nigerian officer sends men

on a recon mission, to find enemy soldiers

that could be waiting in ambush.

- [Soldier] Clear the bridge!

Remove the obstacles.

- [Narrator] Here's the Komadugu river

that marks the border with Nigeria.

- They tried to cross the border three times.

They tried to capture our base using force.

But we beat them down and drove them away.

The proof is the corpses they left behind.

- [Soldier] Spread out in front!

It's possible ...

It's possible we're being watched, because there

are large trees around here.

That's why we always survey the area.

- [Narrator] On this side of the river,

Nigeria begins.

- Now, we're in Nigeria.

Protect them.

- [Narrator] And the territory of Boko Haram.

- There's the corpse.

- [Narrator] The officer knows that Jihadists

never refuse the chance to fight.

The latest attack took place here, just a few days ago.

The bodies of Boko Haram soldiers still litter the ground.

- Often, when the fight us, they're on drugs.

- [Interpreter] How can you tell that they're on drugs?

They keep going even when injured?

- That's right.

Even when you wound them, they come back to fight.

It's not over until you get them in the head.

- [Interpreter] Do they shout and yell?

- They have their tactics, they're bloodthirsty.

They want to win at all costs.

This is a very dangerous group, and someone

who takes drugs, loses consciousness, then

slits throats and shoots people, cannot be religious.

It's impossible.

What they do is incomprehensible.

Religion has never condoned these actions.

It really is terrorism.

They need to be wiped out.

- [Narrator] This battle did not only result in deaths.

The Nigerian soldiers were able to achieve something rare.

They captured these members of Boko Haram, who

had hoped to conquer the city.

Now, they are prisoners at Diffa's central police station

before being transferred to the capitol.

This is Boko Haram.

Shirtless, shoeless.

- [Prison Guard] Stand up.

- [Narrator] They obey the prison guards

and remain silent.

- Move forward.

- [Narrator] Returning to their cells, they seem harmless.

The opposite of how they are on the battlefield.

Violent and deadly.

But they are not the only ones.

The Nigerian army has also been accused

of serious acts of violence by Amnesty International.

One case in particular made headlines worldwide.

In 2014, Boko Haram attacked a barracks in Nigeria

that served as a prison.

The prisoners were released by the Jihadists,

but they were quickly and fiercely suppressed.

The Nigerian military recaptured the escapees

and executed 640 of them.

Many of them were not soldiers for Boko Haram.

More seriously, according to a secret military report

that the Human Rights Organization was able

to get a hold of, the soldiers carried out

arbitrary executions.

- (translated from video) Remain seated.

You bastards are going to die.

- [Narrator] These images were obtained

by Amnesty International.

Here, prisoners are beaten to death.

Here, soldiers pour a jug of melted plastic

on the skin of their captive.

And here, the military executes men in mass graves

dug by the prisoners themselves.

Back in Diffa, in Niger, on the border of Nigeria ...

During Boko Haram's attack, the main target

was the governor's residence.

Since then, it has been strictly protected.

Inside, the governor continues to remain on guard.

- When we captured one of Boko Haram's leaders

in Diffa, we found a map.

On which the governor's residence was marked.

The military base, the guards, when they set out

to eliminate people, they have their plan of attack.

- [Narrator] The governor questions Boko Haram's

objectives.

- Do they really want an Islamic state?

Because to have that, they would need something

to control.

What will be left for them to control, if they're

burning down cities and slaughtering everyone?

You can't negotiate with criminals.

- [Narrator] In the military camp, soldiers kneel

for the evening prayers.

For colonel Moussa Bamu, it's meal time.

He eats with his officers.

Tonight, his troops are in battle.

They want to recapture a small town

from Islamist militia men.

The operations room is adjacent to his office.

- Okay, here's the situation.

In Gaska, our men have made contact with the enemy.

Then, these assholes reacted by attacking the village

of (foreign name).

- [Narrator] The battle against Boko Haram is taking place

in neighboring Nigeria.

Soldiers return from the border.

- We're back from the front.

We were in Nigeria.

- This is ammunition we took from Boko Haram in Nigeria.

It's a souvenir.

- [Narrator] The soldiers shared these images with us,

of the battle to recapture the town.

Some equipment is brand new.

On this Chadian truck, a state of the art rocket launcher,

made in Russia.

We see western advisors.

Probably employed by a private military corporation

funded by the United States.

(dramatic music)

The pickup trucks move forward in a line

while firing at Jihadists.

We hear the sounds of mortars, missiles, machine guns.

The attack has begun.

The battle lasts three hours.

The Islamists will abandon the village.

It's a victory.

(excited foreign speech)

In the morning, I get permission to go to Nigeria myself.

On the road to the airport, we pass several

French special forces vehicles.

On a tarmac, French commandos predict

the unloading of a plane arriving from N'Djamena,

the capital of neighboring Chad.

To reach the theater of operations, we board

one of the Nigerian army's helicopters.

The aircraft flies over the Kamedugu river,

which marks the border.

We land in Nigeria, where the battle has just ended.

Lieutenant colonel Tumba commands the Nigerian battalion.

Apparently, his men managed to surprise Boko Haram.

- Their food was still hot when we found them.

They were just about to eat, but things

didn't go as they planned.

They've committed atrocities against the people here.

Ten days ago, they burned down some houses.

People have been forced to leave the city.

- [Narrator] The Nigerian soldiers are satisfied.

- [Interpreter] You participated in the battle yesterday?

- Yes - Did they put up

- [Interpreter] A strong resistance?

- No, they couldn't with stand us.

We're stronger than them.

- They don't have the techniques, they're

not trained military.

They empty their charges everywhere.

We take aim and we strike.

- This is a Dragunov rifle.

- [Interpreter] How far away can you shoot?

- 1,000 meters.

- [Interpreter] You've already shot at Boko Haram?

- Yes, I hit five of them.

- [Interpreter] Wounded or dead?

- Dead.

One in the eye, another here.

Another here.

- [Interpreter] With one bullet?

- Yes, one bullet.

- [Narrator] Since then, the conquered village

is deserted, but the soldiers are wary.

Boko Haram usually leaves some soldiers behind

to fight a rear guard action.

This morning, the military wants to ensure

that there are no snipers lying in ambush.

- I'm ready to fight.

- [Narrator] The buildings that burned the night before

could be hiding prospective martyrs.

The convoy takes narrow dirt alleyways

between walls which are conducive to ambushes.

- Move forward!

- [Narrator] The patrol ends by foot.

Clearly, the soldiers have not been back

to the village since Boko Haram withdrew.

- [Interpreter] What do you fear the most right now?

- Being taken by surprise.

- You, go alone.

Run and take position, fast.

- Get behind me!

- [Narrator] After an hour spent patrolling,

all is quiet.

Boko Haram seems to have fled.

- The civilians will come back if we're here.

They're our brothers, our mothers, our sisters.

We're defending the integrity of our country

and neighboring country.

We're proud of that.

- [Narrator] We leave Nigeria.

Faced with several months of attacks from African armies,

Boko Haram will avoid carrying out frontal assaults

from this point forward.

They will change their tactics.

The war will now take place on the border

of Nigeria and Cameroun.

We go there.

For Islamist fanatics, there is no state,

no borders, but a caliphate in the heart of Africa.

Where the Sharia should reign.

Their target in recent months is the prefecture

of Maroua, in Cameroun.

At the airport, a plane from the U.S. airforce

brings materials to the Camerounian troops.

The army is on the alert.

Boko Haram has infiltrated the city.

- Someone needs to go with him.

- [Narrator] Europeans are rare here.

And very much at risk.

An escort will stay by our side throughout

our investigation.

To protect us, the front of our hotel

is heavily guarded.

The police's main concern are suicide attacks.

The number of these attacks is increasing,

causing panic in the streets.

Police put up posters with specific instructions

for the inhabitants.

- This allows civilians to identify possible terrorists.

And take precautions to avoid explosions.

- [Narrator] The poster details the telltale signs

of a terrorist.

Tired eyes, a distracted or nervous behavior.

Their hand grasping an object that could

be a detonator.

You can even learn that suicide bombers often

perfume themselves, as preparation for their entry

to heaven.

- There's a free phone number.

1-5-0-0, that anyone can call.

Often, it's civilians who give the most information

to law enforcement agencies.

- [Narrator] These precautions date back to the summer

of 2015.

When a suicide bombing in the city's fabric market

left 13 dead and dozens injured.

In the emergency room of the hospital, which

is badly equipped, medical staff is overwhelmed.

Survivors are lying on the floor in the bloody corridors.

The city is in shock.

A generally peaceful area, this small Christian community

now feels threatened.

It's Sunday morning, time for Mass.

The priest, Father Antonio, is Spanish.

Outside, volunteers search the parishioners

with metal detectors.

They even search young children.

One of Boko Haram's tactics is to use them

as human bombs.

- Sometimes, the bombers use small children.

They put a bomb on them and tell them where to go.

Children don't understand what it is.

That's why we check everyone.

- The evil and violence that threatens us here

is everywhere.

We saw it in Paris with 129 dead, 300 wounded.

The violence affects everyone.

- [Narrator] During the service, a watch man stands guard.

He ensures that no terrorists throw bombs

over the wall or fire from the street into the church.

- Since we began guarding the markets,

palm district, and the church, we've killed many people.

We've had to take matters into our own hands.

- [Interpreter] What's your biggest fear?

- The terrorists, more than anything.

But in Maroua, it's not only Christians who are in danger.

The town has a mostly Muslim population,

and they've already been hit repeatedly

by Boko Haram.

The street leading to the mosque, the Mosque Iaya,

is closed.

Car bombs pose a threat.

Here, too, a vigilance committee frisks the worshippers,

one by one.

From a balcony, there's even a watchman keeping

an eye on the crowd.

- There are people who might come here with explosives.

Everyone needs to be checked.

- [Interpreter] And people accept being checked,

there's no problem?

- Yes, they accept it.

They know that it's necessary.

- Hey, you, with the bag.

Stop right there.

He has a big bag, I don't trust bags.

That's how we work here.

- [Narrator] The guards also worry about women

hiding explosives under their clothes.

They forbid them to wear the burka.

Only headscarves are allowed when entering the mosque.

These precautions still don't prevent the terrorists

from striking whenever they want.

That's what happened just nearby the Mosque Iaya.

Terrorists placed a bomb on a ten year old child,

a village beggar.

Her body was severed in half at the waist

by the power of the explosion.

- [Interpreter] Did she set off the bomb herself,

or did a terrorist use a remote detonator?

- [Narrator] It was a carnage.

20 people died instantly and about 60 others

were seriously injured.

It all happened on a Saturday, in this spot.

A group of regulars were gathered in front

of the coffee merchant.

At two p.m., the explosion.

The wall still bears marks from the blast.

The cafe owner's table is still there.

His sons, Bashir and Yusuf, often pass by

the scene of the explosion.

- I heard the explosion.

I was close by, but when I arrived, everyone

was already dead.

Then, they were taken to the hospital.

- [Narrator] Our body guards are on the alert

in this busy and crowded district.

A man in a jilaba approaches.

They check him.

- It's a member of the vigilance committee.

- [Narrator] The man belongs to the district

vigilance committee.

He is responsible for identifying unknown individuals.

The day of the attack, he was one of the first

to arrive on the scene as soon as he heard

the explosion.

- It was a sound like I've never heard in my life.

It makes so much noise.

There were dismembered parts everywhere.

The bodies were thrown 50 or 100 meters.

An arm was found in a neighbor's house.

- [Narrator] Uma Tae takes us to a house right next

to the tragic scene.

A man lives there in seclusion since his release

from the hospital.

It's a miracle he survived.

- Mister Mustafa is a friend of mine.

He was there at the explosion.

He has a broken arm and several fractures.

- I have a fracture, and wound here.

And I lost my eye.

It was horrible.

- [Narrator] Mustafa Seli will never forget

the moments just before the explosion.

Nor his lost friends with whom he was talking

about their shared passion, football.

- We were discussing the French championship.

My favorite team is Marseilles.

One was for Paris, the other was for Leon.

We were chatting about transfers, and that

sort of thing.

- [Narrator] It was at that time that

the young kamikaze arrived.

- A beggar girl came up to us, and asked

for something to eat.

My friend, Mr. Bubaka, gave her 100 francs.

He was killed by the explosion.

- It's a sect.

They're brainwashed.

So they're prepared to do anything.

Prepared even to die.

- [Narrator] Those closest to the front line

in the fight against Boko Haram are the BIR,

the rapid intervention brigade.

They were trained by the Israeli army.

Their camp lies just outside the city.

Commander Mulate, chief of operations, knows

the enemy's tactics.

Suicide bombers are mostly children and women.

- What's the profile?

The widow of a soldier, who's been captured

or killed.

Who then separates from her family for a time

ranging from six months to a year.

She'll have a thorough indoctrination with the Qu'ran.

They'll give her training in explosives,

then finally, a holy man will drill her,

and brainwash her.

And then she'll be sent into action.

- [Narrator] Faced with suicide bombings,

the BIR are adapting and making use

of new technology.

- When I search them, I'm looking for evidence

like SIM cards or memory sticks.

- [Interpreter] For you, a SIM card is as important

as a weapon?

- More important than a weapon.

A phone card might have information, photos,

phone calls, that we can trace.

So we can know who he's in contact with.

Whether here in Cameroun, or elsewhere.

- [Narrator] This morning, the BIR receiving

forensic science training.

- For DNA tests, you rub from the bottom up.

- [Narrator] To fight against Islamic infiltration,

police use state of the art technology.

A computer database in which they store photos

and DNA data.

- [Interpreter] Just like criminal investigation work?

- That's right, we're transforming into

smarter fighters who are no longer required

to use force to get information.

We're exploiting new technology.

- [Narrator] The most troubled zone today,

is the northern part of the country, near Nigeria.

The Kolo Fata region.

We go there.

Boko Haram frequently conducts raids there,

in the heart of the city, in broad daylight.

In fall, 2014, Jihadists burned the houses

of various public figures, killing several people

and taking hostages.

It was behind this wall that they captured

the mayor.

Seini Boukar, who is also a traditional king, or Lamido,

as they say here.

After 76 days in captivity, the mayor was released

in a prisoner exchange.

With him were ten Chinese workers who were captured

while building a road.

All hostages were unharmed and evacuated

by airplane.

Since then, the king has taken refuge far

from Boko Haram.

250 kilometers away, in Garoua, where he now lives

with his family.

- Hello, welcome, please come in.

- [Narrator] He shows us pictures of the attacked property,

where his brother and a holy man were killed

in his home, executed by the Islamists.

- Here are the rooms where it took place.

The holy man lived in the left.

He taught religion to the children.

He was killed in front of his Qu'ran.

And on the right was my brother, who was

staying with us at that time.

He was also murdered in cold blood.

This is the youngest of the hostages.

You can sit by me.

- [Narrator] His wife and six of his children were captured

with him, a miracle they are still alive.

The family will never forget the day Jihadists

attacked their home in Kolo Fata.

- I heard them yell, 'Allahu Akhbar',

the Boko Haram battle cry, and I heard them

try the door handle.

It was locked, so they shot it off.

And I thought, we're not going to make it out of here.

- [Narrator] The family was taken to Nigeria,

about 30 kilometers from Cameroun, in the Sambisa Forest.

Boko Haram's hideout, home to Islamist camps.

This is where these propaganda videos were filmed.

- Boko Haram is made up of Nigerians, Camerounians,

there were so many people there, it's no exaggeration

to say that there were at least 20,000 to 30,000 people.

- [Narrator] The couple was not abused,

but they witnessed horror.

- We saw people headed to a location as if

they were going to a football stadium,

but they were going to an execution point.

Executions had to be done publicly.

We saw other captives that were killed, shot,

heard the spectators cry as a victory.

When you see other captives being killed,

you wonder if your turn is next.

If you're considered an accomplice, or supporter

of the state, the army, the administration,

they will decapitate you.

They are convinced that each abominable act

they carry out, will be a bonus in paradise.

They believe that the West and the Jews

have oppressed Islam for the last 300 years.

And that now, it's time to put things in order.

For them, it's a global movement.

If you look at their flag, it's the same one in Syria

and Iraq.

They told the Chinese, we already have Muslims

fighting for us in China.

They even asked them if they would convert

to Islam when they returned.

And when I translated the question, they told me no.

I said to them, don't be stupid, just say yes.

After I explained, they understood.

- [Narrator] Since the king mayor's abduction,

military operations in Kolo Fata are increasingly intense.

- Distance, 50 meters minimum.

Risk of ambush.

- [Narrator] In Kolo Fata, the BIR are on the front line.

Their camp has been subjected to several attacks

and infiltration attempts.

They are on a war footing around the clock.

- I think they should wait for us at the checkpoint.

- [Narrator] This is their leader.

- The two of us will go in this vehicle.

- [Narrator] Commander (foreign name).

He's leaving this morning for an operation

with 50 men.

He counts on everyone being ready for the task at hand.

Every military convoy represents a target for Jihadists.

- Attention all taskforce.

Direction Tonga to join the PC.

Take the main road, move forward.

- [Narrator] Many vehicles are equipped

with heavy machine guns.

The convoy will travel nine kilometers on a high risk

path to reach Keraoua on the Nigerian border.

Boko Haram soldiers are using it as a rear base

to attack Cameroun.

Boko Haram films most of their attacks

for propaganda purposes.

The films show that the Islamists are very well armed

with weapons and ammunition abandoned

by the Nigerian military.

It is thanks to this arsenal that the group

has become a real army.

Four days ago, a land mine was detected on the road,

just minutes before the commander's convoy

drove through.

He wants to show us the exact location.

When stopped, we are more vulnerable.

In case Jihadists are hiding in the bush,

he deploys his men to survey the area around us.

- [Interpreter] Where was it, exactly?

- The land mine was placed here, so that the vehicle

would go over it and explode.

The landmine may seem very small, but the damage

would've been enormous.

We were informed by some sources who had seen them

place the explosive.

That's how we were able to find it and neutralize it.

- [Narrator] We arrive at the village of Keroua,

close to the Nigerian border.

- Hi guys, how are you?

- [Narrator] This is one of the Jihadist infiltration points

for entering Cameroun and expanding their territory

in francophone Africa.

- These checkpoints have been implemented

to reduce the risk of suicide attacks,

because we are targets.

Despite these efforts, we've had trouble.

There was an attack recently.

- [Interpreter] When was that?

- Four or five days ago.

We'll stop here.

- [Narrator] The villagers have gathered in the square.

This market was the scene of several kamikaze

attacks recently.

The last one took place ten days ago.

The villagers hate these Islamists, who

are constantly targeting them.

- Boko Haram are criminals, killers.

They kidnap our girls.

They kill our men.

We are so worried.

We Muslims, we pray for them to be wiped out.

They're really bad people.

- They have no moral limits.

They'll use pregnant women, children, women with babies.

Nothing is a transgression for them.

We're prepared for this now.

And so at our checkpoints, we don't lower our guard

for anyone, because we know that the enemy

will try to deceive us.

Reminder to increase vigilance.

We're approaching the border.

If the enemy is present, this will be an opportunity

to neutralize them immediately.

- The border is about 100 meters from our current position.

There, where the armored vehicle is.

This is one of the main entry points between

Nigeria and Cameroun.

- [Narrator] The final meters to the border

are the most dangerous.

The officer chooses to move forward between houses.

If we are targeted by Boko Haram, he and his men

could take refuge there to fire back.

- Everyone, maximum vigilance.

- [Narrator] We walk in the footsteps of his lieutenant.

He enters by the dry riverbed that marks the border.

Nigeria begins here.

- Now, we're at the mail, which marks

the separation between Keraoua, Cameroun,

and Keraoua, Nigeria.

- [Narrator] On the other side, the building seemed

to be deserted, but looks can be deceiving.

Boko Haram could be hiding there.

- [Interpreter] Are there Nigerian security forces there?

- No, currently, there is no security on that side.

- Let's go up to the platform, because there's

no security here.

The other side of the border is not being monitored

right now.

- [Narrator] The commander does not want to remain

out in the open any longer.

- This is a location that was originally occupied

by the Nigerian armies administration.

And then, the army was forced to withdraw,

at a certain point, and it became controlled

by Boko Haram.

The bullet holes you see on the walls are from that time.

After the fighting, the inhabitants deserted

the city, and now, there are only a few civilians

in this area.

- [Narrator] Some civilians and also probably

some Boko Haram soldiers hidden in the ruins.

We will not see them today.

- Hello, how are you?

You okay?

Children are the future of the country, and we hope

that our work will help them receive

the education they deserve.

- [Narrator] The officer's just been warned

that gun men are roaming in the bush.

- I've been told that there are 20 soldiers

on motor bikes between here and Kolo Fata.

They want to cause trouble.

But I say, great.

Let's see them try.

- [Narrator] Accomplices in the village might've

informed Boko Haram of our presence.

The commander fears that the Jihadists

will try something.

- We have to watch the foot traffic.

We have to limit contact with civilians.

With everyone.

How would we know if they had a bomb?

- [Narrator] He is suspicious of everyone.

- You there, move to one side.

Lift your shirt.

Turn around.

Lift again.

Okay, you can move forward.

- [Interpreter] Do you do this routinely,

with everyone who enters the village?

- Yes, we do this automatically, to screen people,

crossing (foreign name), or going towards Kolo Fata.

- Are they okay?

- Yes, they can come through. - It's fine.

- Is it aggravating to be searched all the time?

- It's fine, it allows them to see if someone

is hiding something, like a bomb.

Without checkpoints, bad people could get through.

- [Narrator] The commander prefers that we resume

our path before dark.

- [Interpreter] Has our presence here been noticed?

- Absolutely.

They're very much aware of it, and there

may be repercussions.

- [Narrator] We leave the BIR.

We return to Meroua, and Father Antonio's church.

The priest is one of the last Europeans in the region,

but he doesn't want to give in to fear.

After Mass, in the sacristy, he spoke to us

with candor.

- Praying is important, my brother Patrick.

We pray, because we're at war.

We're threatened.

- [Interpreter] Do you represent the devil for Boko Haram?

- Well, we represent a lot of things they don't agree with.

But that's how it is.

- [Interpreter] Because you're a foreigner?

- Yes, and from a culture that is, for them,

abominable.

Where we have so much freedom.

For them, we represent all the abominations.

(singing and laughing)

- [Narrator] Christians are a minority in the neighborhood

of his parish.

Islamist extremists could target the priest.

Father Antonio knows the risks involved.

- If you let fear penetrate your heart, it's over.

You can't stay here.

And we must stay here.

It's decisive.

And more important than what we do is the fact

that we are here, with these people,

through difficult times.

It's fighting them which is complicated.

- [Narrator] The movement has sworn allegiance to ISIS,

the terrorist group responsible for the Paris attacks

last November.

These images filmed by Boko Haram and recently broadcast

by CNN, show hundreds of Chibok schoolgirls

taken hostage by the Islamic group,

who appear to still be alive.

Boko Haram's leader, Abubakar Shekau,

would be inclined to cease fire, as this video

seems to reveal.

On the contrary, other combatants appear

to call for intensification of the conflict.