News

23, February 2018

Fru Ndi steps down from presidential race ⁰

The national chairman of the main opposition party in Cameroon, Ni John Fru Ndii, has declared that he will ‘not be presenting his candidature for the 2018 presidential elections’. The veteran politician founded the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in 1990 and has led the party since then.

Speaking at the special congress of the party held in Bamenda, 77 year old Ndii reportedly said he was leaving the stage for the younger generation. I will not present my candidature for the Presidential election, I want you to chose who is best to be the flag bearer.

Ndii has recently been embroiled in a war of words with secessionists in the Anglophone region who wanted the SDF congress moved from Bamenda to Yaounde.

Ndii maintains that he is an Anglophone citizen who is not pro-secession. Analysts will now watch whether 49 year old Joshua Osih, who is currently the deputy of the party, will now seek to be nominated as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

Electoral activities ahead of the presidential election , have already started, and the opposition party recently met in the restive Bamenda region and declared that it would participate in the March 25 senatorial polls.

President Paul Biya is expected to seek another term in office after over three decades in charge of the Central African nation. The country is currently riled by secessionist elements in the Anglophone regions – northwest and southwest regions.

Source: Africa News

23, February 2018

7 killed in Boko Haram attacks in Cameroon, Chad ⁰

At least seven people have been killed in Chad and Cameroon by militants of the Boko Haram Takfiri terrorist group, which is based in neighboring Nigeria.

A local source in the northern Cameroon border area said Thursday that five civilians had been killed in Boko Haram’s raid two nights earlier on a border town, which gives direct access to Nigeria.

“A group of Boko Haram fighters made an incursion during (Tuesday) night in Assigashia …The attackers killed five people and wounded five more,” said the source, who was close to administrative authorities.

An official in the Cameroon security services also confirmed the raid and the casualty toll.

Due to its geographic location, Assigashia has seen recurrent Boko Haram attacks in the past. The militants were blamed for a raid in January that left a civilian killed.

Meanwhile, a captain and a soldier were killed in Chad in an ambush by Boko Haram.

A senior military official said Thursday that the attack which took place a day earlier targeted the troops who were returning from a border patrol in the Lake Chad region near the Nigerian frontier.

“The Boko Haram attackers disappeared into the island” on the lake, said the source about the attack, which was the first known assault on Chadian territory by Boko Haram since May 2017.

More than 20,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in more than eight years of insurgency by Boko Haram in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Nigeria’s government says the militants have been pushed from major strongholds in northern cities and towns. However, attacks targeting civilians and security forces have continued unabated over the past months both inside and outside Nigeria’s borders.

Source: Presstv

23, February 2018

Haiti suspends Oxfam operations amid sex abuse scandal ⁰

Haiti has suspended Oxfam Great Britain’s operations in the Caribbean country following allegations of sexual misconduct by some of the charity organization’s staff.

Oxfam entered Haiti after a devastating earthquake hit the island nation in 2010. There have been allegations of sexual misconduct against those sent to help the victims of the earthquake, which killed tens of thousands. Oxfam has formally apologized, expressing “shame” for the behavior of its staff.

Haiti’s Planning and External Cooperation Minister Aviol Fleurant said on Thursday that Oxfam’s suspension was ordered due to “serious failings” by Oxfam Great Britain between 2010 and 2011, and that a definitive decision on its ability to operate in Haiti would be made in two months following a review of the evidence.

“If during the two month-long investigation, I find out there is a link between the aid funds that Oxfam received on behalf of Haiti and the crime that has been committed, we will… declare Oxfam Great Britain persona non grata in the country,” Fleurant said.

In a separate statement, Fleurant accused Oxfam staff of committing acts of “sexual abuse” and exploitation.

Fleurant said the suspension of the charity’s right to operate was limited to Oxfam Great Britain and did not apply to Oxfam Canada.

Oxfam is a confederation of 19 independent charitable organizations with nearly 10,000 staff working in over 90 countries that use the name Oxfam and are led by UK-based Oxfam International, which is one of the UK’s biggest charities.

The charity, which receives hundreds of millions of dollars from government and private sources, aims to work for greater impact on the international stage to reduce poverty and injustice.

It said it had lost 7,000 regular donors since it was revealed that its staff sexually exploited vulnerable women in Haiti, according to British daily The Guardian on Tuesday.

Britain and the European Union are reviewing their funding of Oxfam amid the allegations in Haiti.

Meanwhile, Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of Oxfam International, has promised to appoint an independent commission to investigate the allegations of sexual abuse by the staff of the charity.

Byanyima described the majority of the rank and file working at the charity organization as people of values.

Source: Presstv

22, February 2018

Biya regime creates new military region based in Bamenda ⁰

Cameroon has a new military region created to cater for security needs in the west and northwest region, the state-owned CRTV has reported.

President Paul Biya signed directives reorganizing the country’s defense forces leading to the splitting into two of the former military region [Région militaire interarmées – RMIA] RMIA 2 which is based in Douala.

The new region becomes the fifth (RMIA 5) and is headquarted in capital of the northwest region Bamenda. It is to be headed by General Agha Robinson Ndong while General Julius Caesar Ellie has been appointed commander of its Gendarmerie region (RG5).

The measure is seen as a clear plan to deal with the raging Anglophone crisis that has rocked the country since October 2017. Separatists in the region continue to engage in deadly clashes with security forces.

Under the banner of the so-called Ambazonia republic, separatists are pushing a breakaway of the Anglophone regions (northwest and southwest) from French-majority Cameroon.

The government has insisted that the region remains secured and has declared the separatists terrorists. Last month, Nigeria deported about 47 separatists to Yaounde, the deportees included a known separatist leader, Julius Sisuku Ayuk Tabe.

Nigeria has also been bearing the brunt of the crisis in Cameroon with the continuing influx of refugees. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has reported that thousands of people have arrived in Nigeria over the past few months.

Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis

What began in 2017 as peaceful protests by Anglophone activists against perceived marginalization by Cameroon’s Francophone-dominated elite has become the gravest challenge yet to President Paul Biya, who is expected to seek to renew his 35-years in power in an election next year.

Government repression – including ordering thousands of villagers in the Anglophone southwest to leave their homes – has driven support for a once-fringe secessionist movement, stoking a lethal cycle of violence.

The secessionists declared an independent state called Ambazonia on Oct. 1. Since then, thousands have fled to Nigeria, including 2,300 who fled in a single day on Dec. 4 fearing government reprisals after raids by separatists militants killed at least six soldiers and police officers.

At the end of World War One, Germany’s colony of Kamerun was carved up between allied French and British victors, laying down the basis for a language split that still persists.

English speakers make up less than a fifth of the population of Cameroon, concentrated in former British territory near the Nigerian border that was joined to the French-speaking Republic of Cameroon the year after its independence in 1960. French speakers have dominated the country’s politics since.

Source: Africa News

22, February 2018

Nigeria aids refugees fleeing from Southern Cameroons ⁰

More than 25,000 refugees have travelled across the border from Cameroon to Nigeria and dozens continue to arrive every week. Caritas Nigeria is appealing for urgent support to fight an emerging humanitarian crisis as a growing number of refugees have been forced to flee political upheaval and armed conflict in neighbouring Cameroon.

“The situation is dire,” said Fr Evaristus Bassey, director of Caritas Nigeria. “According to some of the refugees, they escaped on bush paths with only the clothes they were wearing.” Caritas Nigeria says assessments show more than 25,000 refugees have travelled across the border from Cameroon to Nigeria and dozens continue to arrive every week. Caritas has launched an international appeal to provide 10,000 refugees in Cross River State with food, clean water, mosquito nets and other aid.

Fr Bassey said the influx was having a serious impact on already impoverished Nigerian communities.“Many refugees are staying with relatives or friends they have known on the Nigerian side,” he said. “Typically many of these villages are rural and housing conditions are poor and congested. Some of these communities in peace time had no functional latrines except designated spots for open defecation. Water sources are from the stream.”

The armed insurgency in Cameroon is largely driven by the Ambazonian group which is demanding the full restoration of statehood for what was a former British colony in southern Cameroon from 1922 to 1961. Their objective is the dissolution of the 1961 Union of Southern Cameroon with French Cameroon.

English speaking parts of Cameroon have long complained of marginalization by the French-speaking dominated government, which has deteriorated into a brutal crackdown. Caritas Cameroon’s Fr Kisito Balla Onana said, “Our English-speaking brothers and sisters are in distress.

“Two weeks ago I went to the field with one of the bishops. We visited deserted villages where the houses were burned down. Many of their inhabitants had left and were living in extremely difficult conditions. Caritas brought them clothes, food and a small sum of money.”

Many refugees have fled their homes to Nigeria to escape the conflict which has destabilised the country and destroyed lives and livelihoods.

Caritas Nigeria says services are stretched and there is inadequate accommodation, food, water and sanitation available.“We want to urgently provide humanitarian relief to those in dire need, before this crisis becomes too monstrous and difficult to handle,” said Fr Bassey.

Caritas Nigeria conducted rapid assessments across some of the affected areas that have received a large influx of refugees from Cameroon. The assessment revealed that the Cameroonian refugees in Cross Rivers State were mostly based in the communities within Nigeria that are sharing borders with Cameroon.

Most refugees are living in host communities with relatives, in abandoned government quarters or uncompleted buildings and even open space. They have been dependent on the generosity of impoverished host communities for donations of food and clothing as most of them fled for their lives.

“Caritas Nigeria carried out an assessment two years ago on the Oban corridor in 18 communities because of an environmental program we wanted to initiate,” Fr Bassey said. “The clean water and hygiene conditions were appalling. These are aggravated now with the present crisis.”

While Caritas has carried out assessments in Cross River State where the refugees have the largest concentration, it is seeking input and guidance in other areas where refugees are being housed.

“Caritas has already made assessments in the Oban Corridor and the Boki and Ikom axis,” said Fr Bassey. “Caritas will soon carry out market surveys and establish relationships with vendors for food vouchers. The main challenge though is that markets are far from these communities and transportation is a huge challenge in transporting materials.”

The Nigerian Church is planning a national collection and Caritas Nigeria is appealing for urgent donations of food, clothing, blankets, medicine, cooking utensils and WASH materials.

Fr Bassey said in Nigeria systems and institutions often respond quickly to a crisis but pressure from the international community might assist Nigeria to face up to the challenge over the longer term.

He said language barriers with French speaking Cameroon made co-operation challenging across borders and the Nigerian government would need a lot of support if the situation escalates into a full-blown crisis.

Source: Reliefweb.int

22, February 2018

Nigerian army rescues 76 girls after Boko Haram terror attack ⁰

The Nigerian military has managed to rescue 76 schoolgirls and recovered the bodies of two others out of an estimated 90 girls who had gone missing following an attack by the Takfiri Boko Haram militant group on a school in the country’s northeast.

“Everybody is celebrating their coming with songs and praises to God almighty,” said Babagana Umar, a parent whose daughter had disappeared, on Wednesday. “The only sad news is that two girls were dead and no explanation.”

According to Umar and other residents of the small town of Dapchi in the state of Yobe, where a school was raided by the terror outfit on Monday evening, at least 13 other students may still be missing.

According to eyewitnesses, the Boko Haram militants descended on Dapchi in trucks, some with heavy guns mounted on them and painted in military camouflage. They then went straight to the Girls Science Secondary School and began shooting sporadically, forcing panicked students and teachers to flee.

There are conflicting reports about how exactly the girls went missing. Police and state officials said that 815 of the school’s 926 students had later returned to the school after fleeing into the bush outside the town during the attack.

Police and state officials said that there had been no evidence that the missing girls had been kidnapped by Boko Haram, suggesting that the rescued ones had been recovered from their hiding places.

However, the Yobe government later said in a statement that the military had rescued some of the students from the grips of the terror group.

Separately, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday dispatched his foreign and defense ministers to Yobe to investigate the incident.

Since 2009, the Boko Haram militancy has left at least 20,000 dead and made over 2.6 million others homeless.

Back in 2014, the Takfiri terrorist group kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in Borno State. The mass abduction triggered global condemnation and intense criticism of Nigerian officials in the country. An international campaign dubbed “Bring Back Our Girls” was also launched.

Of the 276 students originally abducted, nearly 60 escaped soon after the incident and some others have since been released after mediation. Some 100 are still believed to remain in captivity.

Last month, the terror outfit released a video allegedly showing some of the Chibok girls still in its custody, saying they do not wish to return home.

Source: Presstv

22, February 2018

Trump considering arming US teachers after Florida school mass shooting ⁰

US President Donald trump is considering arming teachers in the country in the backdrop of a deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Trump met Wednesday with some of the survivors of the recent attack in the State Dining Room of the White House.

On February 14, 17 students and school staff were killed and 16 more were injured at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The 19-year-old shooter, identified as Nikolas Cruz, fired some 100 shots by his AR-15 rifle.

The tragic event revived the ongoing gun control issue in the country, leading to protests spearheaded by students themselves.

As the president was being censured for his great relations with the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the demonstrations, he called for arming the teachers as a way protect students.

“If you had a teacher … who was adept at firearms, it could very well end the attack very quickly,” Trump said.

The president’s “listening session” with the students and teachers, who survived the shooting rampage, was part of an effort to calm the situation.

“Some of your suggestions, I’ve heard some of them. We’re going to do something about this horrible situation that’s going on,” Trump said. “I want to listen. And then after I listen, we’re going to get things done.”

The idea of arming teachers was brought up by one parent, which Trump described as “a point we will discuss.”

“We’re going to be looking at that very strongly. And I think a lot of people are going to be opposed to it. I think a lot of people are going to like it,” he said.

Following the mass shooting, Trump expressed some narrow support for measures to tackle the country’s gun issue.

“We’re going to be very strong on background checks,” he said. “There are many ideas I have, there are many ideas that other people have, and we’re going to pick out the strongest ideas, the most important ideas.”

He further suggested that he intends to take concrete action against gun violence.

“It’s not going to be talk like it has been in the past,” Trump said.

Source: Presstv

22, February 2018

SDO of Ndop reported killed in Ambazonia Tigers attack ⁰

There are reports of an Ambazonian Tigers attack on a convoy transporting the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for the Ndop constituency. Images aired on social media tell of a ghastly car crash. However, a message made public by an unknown source in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia noted that the Ambazonian militants attacked the SDO’s vehicle with explosives.

Cameroon Concord News is yet to confirm the correctness of this developing story. The Cameroon government spokesman and minister of communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary has also not commented on the happenings in Ndop.

We gathered from the release that all members of the SDO’s entourage including the prefect and 4 elements of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR were killed.

By Chi Prudence Asong

21, February 2018

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Family orders overseas treatment for Dr Veh Dinga-Nguh ⁰

The family of the Southern Cameroons medic, Dr Veh Dinga-Nguh shot in Bamenda yesterday by French Cameroun gendarmes has decided to evacuate her to Europe for proper treatment, Cameroon Concord News has learned.

Our Yaoundé city reporter hinted that there is a bullet stuck in her iliac bone on the pelvis. Such surgeries cannot be done in Yaoundé.

We are keeping a watchful eye on this story and we will update our readers on any latest development.

By Rita Akana

21, February 2018

Mine blast kills 2 French troopers in Mali ⁰

Two French soldiers have been killed and another hurt when their armored vehicle struck a mine in Mali, the French presidency says.

Around 4,000 French troops are deployed in Mali and neighboring countries to fight extremist groups that have staged a string of attacks and kidnappings, some targeting Western nationals.

The two soldiers were from a cavalry regiment based in Valence, a city in southeastern France, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said on Wednesday in a statement, which did not say where the attack took place.

Macron sent condolences to the soldiers’ families and said the regional counter-terrorism operation had dealt “severe blows” to the enemy, the presidency added.

The deaths bring to 12 the number of French troops killed since the start of Operation Barkhane, which was launched more than three years ago to try to vanquish extremist groups that overran northern Mali in 2012.

France intervened at Mali’s request in early 2013 to drive the extremists back into the desert, but attacks have continued unabated since then.

(Source: AFP)