At least more than 80 Cameroonian gendarmes late Monday night crossed the
international border between Nigeria and Cameroon and invaded Danare,
in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Reports say that the gendarmes molested and harassed residents, causing panic and despair in the communities.
Speaking with DAILY POST on Tuesday at the Governor’s office where he
and others came to see Governor Ben Ayade and security Chiefs in the
State, the spokesperson of the communities, Hon Douglas Ogar lamented
the abandonment of the communities by Federal and State Governments.
“I call the attention of Cross River State Government, the Government
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the military to the impunity,
dereliction and sad invasion of Danare communities by the Cameroonian
soldiers which happened on Monday, January 29th, 2018.”
He said the invasion which sparked fear and trauma had caused
residents of Danare communities to desert their home for the safety of
their lives and that their mission was to warn residents of Danre
communities to be aware of their return to carry out a military raid
which according to him was intended to cleanse Danare communities of all
Anbazonia refugees.
Consequently, the soldiers, according to him, threatened to come back
to Danare to execute the proscription of Southern Cameroonians taking
asylum in Danare as a result of the ongoing Anbazonia crises which
resulted in the mass influx of refugees from neighbouring Southern
Cameroon villages.
He said the Paul Byia contingents are leveraging on the poor security
state of Danare border and all Boki communities to hatch a
well-thoughtout genocide.
“This invasion in very well connected to
intelligence gathering and mission study by these battalions to develop a
map for their conceived genocide in Danare and Boki Nigeria
communities. This is a calculated offensive from Cameroon military on
Nigeria.“They have shown outright defiance to supremacy of Nigerian
territorial sovereignty and blighted the consequences of crossing the
international boundary to carrying out all sort of intimidation and
harassment on already alarmed citizens of Danare, with warnings of their
further assault visits.
“This is only pointing to how weak and overran the Cameroon
government sees Nigeria and its security consciousness. They have weighed
the vulnerability of defenseless residents of Danare and concluded it
savoury to inflict mass dead on the citizens of Nigeria and refugees of
Southern Cameroon hosted in Danare.
This serious bridge of our internal security is posing the highest
danger to the peace and safety of residents of Danare, (very crucial
Nigerian border communities), the refugees and the entire Boki
communities in Nigeria.“We hereby call on the Cross River State Government and the Nigerian
Government to promptly come to the defence of our communities and other
Nigerian communities bordering the Cameroon by deploying security
details to stop further affront currently being perpetrated by the
Cameroon military.
“Our communities are no more safe. Our heritage is in grave danger to
external threats. We plead to our government to act fast before we are
wiped out by the Cameroon military”. However, when contacted, the State
Security Adviser, Mr. Jude Ngaji said the matter is being handled at the
highest level of government in the country.
“The issue has gone beyond the Police and the Nigerian Army has just
deployed a battalion to the area. No Nigerian has been killed and as you
know, this is an international issue which is being handled at the
highest level of government,” Ngaji said.