Calls for Nigerian High Military Command to stop Biya’s gangsterism and lawlessness ⁰

Camerounian soldiers, penultimate Monday, invaded a Nigerian community in Cross River State, the second time in two months, leaving in its wake tears and blood. According to reports, the soldiers shot sporadically in search of separatists, who fled from Cameroun into Danare Community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, apparently to take refuge.

The Tide recalls that the Camerounian soldiers last December invaded the same community, without authorisation and in the process, killed two residents of the community. The soldiers stormed the community, demanding the release of insurgents who took refuge there.

The Tide is worried that in spite of Nigeria’s sovereignty, Camerounian soldiers could brazenly invade Nigerian communities without any form of resistance from the country’s security architecture. Indeed, we frown at such incursions into Nigerian territory by Cameroun gendarmes without following due process or exploring administrative and diplomatic channels.

Such invasions do not only constitute a violation of international law and conventions, they also tantamount to flagrant breach of the country’s sovereignty and national security, and clearly pose a grave danger to the country’s citizens.

We strongly feel that this resort to gangsterism and lawlessness by our neighbours must be stopped by our military high command. We say so because there seems to be a deliberate policy by Cameroun to undermine and subvert Nigeria’s national security and territorial integrity. This, to say the least, constitutes a clear disrespect to the Nigerian Government.

Suffice it to say that such attacks and invasions are an insult to the collective sensibilities of Nigerians. It is even more worrisome when the country’s security agencies helplessly watch such oddities take place without a resistance.
Indeed, the recent invasion of Danare Community by Camerounian soldiers is one too many. The Tide thinks that Nigeria’s big brother posture towards her neighbours is being taken for granted, to the extent that smaller nations now exploit Nigeria’s good neighbourliness to unleash mayhem on Nigerians. This is unacceptable!
We, however, note that the primary responsibility of any responsible government is to protect the lives and property of the citizens. The Federal Government should live up to this responsibility and in fact, take practical steps to put an end to this reckless impunity by the Camerounian invaders.

Meanwhile, the frequent invasions of Nigerian communities by neighbouring countries call for overhaul or review of the country’s security system to ensure that nobody crosses the borders or buffer zones without authorisation.
We also feel that it is high time the Nigerian military upgraded its communication system to ensure quick intervention in case of emergencies.

To put an end to the sordid activities of these marauding foreign intruders, we suggest that the Federal Government must, without further delay, lodge an official complaint with the Camerounian authorities and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the sundry security breaches by Cameroun gendarmes. We believe that this is the only way to nip in the bud future occurrences.

Source: The Tide