War on Boko Haram

Suspicion persists between Abuja and Yaounde
-Biya turns to Chad for needed support
By Ayukogem Steven Ojong in Yaounde

President Holland, Goodluck and Biya

 

 

Cameroon and Nigeria have agreed to disagree on the phenomenon and spread of Boko Haram. This was one of the fallouts from the recent summit on Boko Haram that held in Paris, France, at the behest of French President, Francois Hollande.
    Prior to the summit the Nigerian media had relayed information claiming that Cameroon was harboring book Haram bases in its territory. Some of the reports even claimed that the over 250 girls who were abducted from a school in the town of Chibok in Northern Nigeria, were being held captive in a Boko Haram base in Cameroon. Yet others said Cameroon was “sponsoring” Boko Haram by paying huge sums as ransom to the terrorists.
    Cameroonian authorities missed no effort and took no time to categorically debunk all these allegations by Nigerian media. Official sources in Cameroon maintained that Boko Haram was a Nigerian phenomenon, even though its militants orchestrated sporadic attacks on Cameroonian targets, for yet unknown reasons. Communication Minister, Issa Bakary Tchiroma, who doubles as spokesperson for the government missed no opportunity to share this opinion with the wider public. Even Cameroonian military sources both official and unofficial, hold that Boko Haram insurgents only come into Cameroon from Nigeria to hit specific targets and carry out varied operations in Cameroon.

    Whilst in Paris, President Paul Biya held strong to this position of the government about Boko Haram. He said the terrorist insurgents came in from across the borders to attack Cameroonian targets. “Boko Haram comes in usually after mid-night, when Cameroonian soldiers were asleep; they come in large numbers and armed with sophisticated weaponry which they use to overwhelm the Cameroonian forces posted at these targets,” president Biya corroborated.
    Intriguingly, Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan has contradicted the Cameroonian position about Boko Haram. Answering to questions from prying journalists in Paris, on why Nigerian forces were yet unable to hold Boko Haram in check, President Goodluck said Nigerian forces had the might and the wherewithal to overrun Boko Haram. “But the problem they faced was that Boko Haram has cells in Nigeria and Cameroon, and when they are chased in Nigeria they run to their bases in Cameroon…and Nigerian forces cannot pursue them right into Cameroon,” Goodluck said, therefore insinuating that Cameroon also harbors Boko Haram in its territory.
    Analysts believe that these divergent opinions held by Cameroon and Nigeria has been a major set-back in the fight against the Islamist terrorist Sect. It is also believed that the inability of Cameroon and Nigeria to come to a consensus as to the location and spread of Boko Haram will pose a major impediment on the global war on Boko Haram that was declared in Paris, France recently.
    Some analysts have speculated that it is because Abuja and Yaounde are unwilling to trust each other that president Biya decided to invite his Chadian counterpart, Idriss Derby to solicit his unmitigated support in the war against Boko Haram.
    It is worthy to note that as Cameroon and Nigeria are still arguing over who is harboring Boko Haram and who is not, some world powers have already avowed their opinions about Boko Haram. The USA and Britain for instance, have stated unequivocally that Cameroon is harboring Boko Haram terrorists. They have therefore warned their citizens to be careful when visiting Cameroon.
    Despite this position held by western powers, Issa Tchiroma has maintained that “Cameroon does not harbor Boko Haram; any body who believes the contrary should prove it.”