Boko Haram threatens Cameroon over Nigeria

Violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has threatened to declare war on Cameroon if she does not cease to support Nigeria’s military campaign against it.

In recent times, the sect has been at the receiving end of a massive onslaught by the army in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Members of the sect have reportedly fled these attacks and were said to have relocated to safe havens in Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

However, efforts by the sect to make Cameroon a safe haven have been countered by Cameroonian troops who launch regular attacks against the fleeing militants.

Camer.be, a Cameroonian daily, says the leader of the sect, Imam Ibn Muhammad Abubakar, wrote to President Paul Biya recently to complain about the attacks. According to the paper, Abubakar threatened to unleash terror on the country should it continue to lend support to the Federal Government’s military campaign.

In the letter, Boko Haram, which has renewed its attacks on villages and cities in the north eastern part of Nigeria, said it had no problems with Cameroon. But it added that the situation could change soon as the Central African country was interfering in matters that did not concern it. The newspaper reports in French but its story was translated by one of our correspondents.

“Boko Haram is ready to start a war with Cameroon and all those around the world trying to oppose it,” the paper quoted the letter as saying. The letter was written in Hausa, the language that Boko Haram has been using to communicate with journalists. It is widely spoken in some parts of Cameroon.

The letter reportedly came a day after newspapers in Cameroon reported a bloody clash between members of the sect and the Nigerian Army at Limani, a Cameroonian city.

During the clash, Cameroon deployed troops comprising soldiers from her 32nd Motorised Infantry Battalion, the country’s police and gendarmes to assist Nigerian soldiers.

The newspaper reports that the Boko Haram leader expressed displeasure with the deployment of the Cameroonian soldiers especially.

According to the newspaper, about 400 members of the sect were involved in the clash which witnessed massive exchange of fire and air attacks, leaving the city damaged.

In the past few weeks, there have been joint operations launched against Boko Haram insurgents by Nigerian and Cameroonian troops, in the border villages that link the two countries.

The paper reports that over 30 Cameroonians and Nigerians were wounded while five were killed in a joint operation during January attacks. But it did not state the number of militants killed. It also reports that many people have fled these areas especially the border village of Amchide.

Similarly, on January 15, Nigerian soldiers engaged the sect at Djakana in Cameroon.

The newspaper claims that President Goodluck Jonathan and President Biya held a secret meeting on January 27 to discuss the Boko Haram menace.

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who was in Yaounde following the drama in Limani, wanted to get his counterpart (Biya) to give him the rights to pursue Boko Haram to Cameroon.

“Sources added that Jonathan may come to Etoudi (a Cameroonian city) for an agreement allowing the Nigerian Army to cross the boundaries of the border in Cameroon where Boko Haram members flee to.

“No one can yet say that the Nigerian President got what he wanted as negotiations were confidential.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said although he was not aware of Boko Haram’s threat to Cameroon, terrorism was not restricted to Nigeria.

The presidential spokesman stated that countries were collaborating at the level of the African Union Security Council and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, among others.

He said, “Terrorism is of concern to the entire region and all countries in the region are collaborating to tackle it. They work together to check piracy and the proliferation of small arms.

“Terrorism is not restricted to one country, it is a global issue and that is why countries are collaborating.

“Nigeria is working with Cameroon and other neighbouring countries. Many of these issues are handled at the level of the African Union Security Council, the Gulf of Guinea Commission and so on.”

Abati also denied knowledge of any recent meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and President Paul Biya of Cameroon on the matter.

“To the best of my knowledge, the last time the two Presidents met was when we went for the Gulf of Guinea Conference last year. It was about regional security,” he said.

When one of our correspondents contacted the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade, he said only the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could comment on the nation’s relationship with her neighbours.

He said, “Operationally, Nigerian security forces are doing their best and we are conducting the operation that we believe will secure the country and its people and this effort will continue; it will be enhanced by all means.”

On Friday, the Cameroonian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Salaheddene A. Ibrahim, told SUNDAY PUNCH  he needed time to respond to the issue due to its nature.

Cameroonian Defence Minister, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o, had in January said troops had been deployed to fight Boko Haram members and to make their escape almost impossible.

Recently, Cameroon reportedly recruited 6,850 people into her national defence forces, including 2,000 for the Presidential Guards, 2,750 for the Armed Forces (Air, Land and Sea) and 1,100 for the National Police.  Nigeria and Cameroon signed an agreement on the establishment of transborder security committee on February 28, 2012 in a bid to combat increasing criminal activities at the common borders and to encourage peaceful coexistence.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru on April 5, 2013 inaugurated the Nigeria Trans-border Security Committee to work towards the establishment of Nigeria-Cameroon joint transborder security committee.

A top diplomat at the ministry said, “The committee was mandated to develop practical strategies and measures to strengthen cooperation in the areas of security between Nigeria and Cameroon.

“The committee headed by Major General Babatunde Samuel (retd.) has submitted its report to the ministry and it has been submitted to the President for further action.”