Alleged killing of Nigerians in Bakassi:Nigeria summons Cameroon's high commissioner for questioning

By Mua Patrick Mughe in Yaounde

Cameroon's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abbas Ibrahima Salaheddine, has been summoned by the Federal Government of Nigeria to give explanations over alleged killing and eviction of Nigerians from the Bakassi Peninsula by Cameroonian gendarmes.

Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Saturday July 8, in Abuja by its acting spokesperson, Jane Adams, expressed dismay over the attacks said to have been occasioned by alleged non-payment of taxes on fishing activities.

The Ministry said it had instructed the Nigerian Missions in Yaounde and Buea, to investigate the reports with a view of confirming the veracity and report back immediately. 

"Meanwhile, the Ministry has summoned the High Commissioner of Cameroon to Nigeria, Ambassador Abbas Salaheddine to demand explanations as to what may have happened," the statement read. 

They called on the Cameroonian authorities to exercise their duty of care and protection over the people of Bakassi, including other Nigerian citizens in the area.

A report had stated that many Nigerians were killed by Cameroon gendarmes who allegedly attacked residents of Bakassi over failure to pay a N100, 000 boat levy. 

 It said the attackers were mainly Nigerians from Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ondo States, adding that over 1,000 Nigerians were sacked from the peninsula.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of Bakassi local government council, Eyo Eyo had in a statement alleged that the people were forcefully ejected by Cameroonian authorities in violation of the Green Tree Agreement which was signed in 2005 between Nigeria and Cameroon. 

The agreement stipulates that the Bakassi returnees must be properly resettled to their natural habitat so that they can have a meaningful living.

According to field reports, 130 indigents of Bakassi fled their homes and arrived Ikang in the cross River state of Nigeria on July 6 as they were able to ‘cheat death’ by fleeing for their lives.

The villagers claimed that they have been under constant harassment from the Cameroonian authorities. 

One of the villagers, Chief Umoh Umoh Inyang, said: “Cameroonian gendarmes harass us so much. They destroyed our property, destroyed our boats, assaulted us and even tortured many of us. They would not let us live in peace. 

The sufferings we endured are so great that we had to flee." 

“They didn’t let us go fishing”, Inyang went on, “and they have been asking us to pay N100, 000 each for residing in the area.” 

a small community in the Bakassi Penisular

“When we were unable to pay, they began torturing and shot at many of us. We were forced to leave Bakassi and run for our lives. We arrived in Ikang around 2 am” the villager said.

Another villager, Nse Edet Okon, called on the Nigerian government to come to their aid by resettling them properly in the community.

 "In 2008, they killed three canoe boys working with me. The rest escaped by jumping into the water. This time around, they told me to pay a N100, 000 tax for the boat engine and I said I do not have that kind of money," Okon revealed.