The governor of Cameroon’s Far North region said the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP, also known as Boko Haram) has been establishing commercial and political ties with “top officials” in the region, and that local residents were supplying the group with money and provisions to support their efforts, Voice of America reported Dec. 19.

ISWAP has launched sporadic attacks and engaged in other insurgent activities in Cameroon in recent years. The group has also established similar with politicians and commercial entities in northeastern Nigeria.