Boko Haram fighters have surrounded the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri and are preparing an imminent takeover, an influential regional group claimed on Thursday, calling for military reinforcements.
"They have completely surrounded the city of Maiduguri," the Borno Elders Forum, which is made up of retired senior civilian and military officials as well as community leaders, said in a statement.
"It is apparent that their imminent target is to take the city of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital."