Cameroonian troops crossed into neighbouring Nigeria in pursuit of
separatist rebels, a Nigerian state defence spokesman and a former
community leader said on Wednesday.
separatist rebels, a Nigerian state defence spokesman and a former
community leader said on Wednesday.
Cameroon has been fighting
Anglophone separatists who have taken up arms over the past year in an
attempt to create a nation which they call Ambazonia. The insurgency
represents the gravest challenge yet to the 35-year rule of Cameroon’s
President Paul Biya.
Anglophone separatists who have taken up arms over the past year in an
attempt to create a nation which they call Ambazonia. The insurgency
represents the gravest challenge yet to the 35-year rule of Cameroon’s
President Paul Biya.
More than 43,000 Cameroonians have fled as
refugees to Nigeria to escape the government crackdown on the
separatists, say local aid officials. The majority are in Nigeria’s
Cross River state, which borders southwest Cameroon.
refugees to Nigeria to escape the government crackdown on the
separatists, say local aid officials. The majority are in Nigeria’s
Cross River state, which borders southwest Cameroon.
A
spokesman for Nigeria’s civil defence agency in Cross River state said
Cameroonian gendarmes crossed into Danare, a border community in the
Boki local government area of Cross River state, on Tuesday. He said
they harassed Cameroonian refugees and their Nigerian hosts.
spokesman for Nigeria’s civil defence agency in Cross River state said
Cameroonian gendarmes crossed into Danare, a border community in the
Boki local government area of Cross River state, on Tuesday. He said
they harassed Cameroonian refugees and their Nigerian hosts.
“The
gendarmes came in briefly, harassed the people and left immediately.
They have been doing this since the crisis of agitation for independence
forced these refugees to flee Cameroon and come into Nigeria,” said
Solomon Eremi, a spokesman for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps (NSCDC).
gendarmes came in briefly, harassed the people and left immediately.
They have been doing this since the crisis of agitation for independence
forced these refugees to flee Cameroon and come into Nigeria,” said
Solomon Eremi, a spokesman for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps (NSCDC).
A former councillor in Boki, Douglas Ogar, also
said Cameroonian gendarmes had entered the community. “The gendarmes are
so emboldened as they have shown outright defiance to Nigeria’s
territorial sovereignty,” he said.
said Cameroonian gendarmes had entered the community. “The gendarmes are
so emboldened as they have shown outright defiance to Nigeria’s
territorial sovereignty,” he said.
Cameroonian officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
It is not the first incursion by Cameroonian gendarmes. At least one such move was carried out by troops last month.
Last week, a Cameroonian separatist leader arrested in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, was deported.
The
linguistic divide in Cameroon – a mostly Francophone country – harks
back to the end of World War One when the German colony of Kamerun was
carved up between allied French and British victors.
linguistic divide in Cameroon – a mostly Francophone country – harks
back to the end of World War One when the German colony of Kamerun was
carved up between allied French and British victors.
The
English-speaking regions joined the French-speaking Republic of Cameroon
the year after its independence in 1960. French speakers have dominated
the country’s politics since. (Reuters)
English-speaking regions joined the French-speaking Republic of Cameroon
the year after its independence in 1960. French speakers have dominated
the country’s politics since. (Reuters)
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