Cameroonian forces accused of Violating Nigerian Territory
The Senator representing Nigeria’s Cross River Central, John
Owna Enoh, Thursday 1st Jan. asked the Federal Government to quickly explore
official channels of communication between the country and Cameroon to protest
the violation of the territorial integrity of Nigeria by Cameroon soldiers.
Enoh said that exploring diplomatic means to deal with the
issue became imperative following reports that about 100 Cameroon soldiers
allegedly crossed the international border into Danare on Monday night in
search of the country’s militants in a crackdown on Anglophone secessionists
said to have sought refuge in Nigeria.
The
Cross River Central lawmaker in a statement recalled that the latest attack
came on the heels of a similar attack on the same communities which falls
within his constituency in December 2017.
Enoh
said that in swift response to the dastardly attack on law abiding citizens of
Danare, he through a motion of urgent national importance on the floor of the
Senate drew the attention of Nigerians and the government to the unwarranted
attack.
The
lawmaker noted that he had among other prayers, called on the federal authority
to deploy troops to Danare as a deterrent to stem further incursion and
aggression on his constituents by Cameroonian soldiers.
The
deployment of a battalion of Nigerian soldiers in the area, he said, seems not
to have deterred the incursion from Cameroonian soldiers.
He
described the latest invasion of Danare as unfortunate, condemnable and
“constitutes a gross violation of the inalienable rights of my people to
peaceful co-existence.”
He
insisted that “the peaceful and law abiding citizens of Danare deserve a
peaceful environment in order to pursue their legitimate aspirations.” The
incessant violation of the inalienable rights of the people, which he described
as fundamental, by Cameroonian soldiers, he said, is unacceptable.
“I
therefore use this medium to call on the Federal Government to explore all
official channels of communication between Nigeria and Cameroon to protest this
violation of the territorial integrity of our nation,” he said.
Enoh
said that Nigerian troops who have already been deployed in Danare should live
up to their professional calling in defence of the people of Danare.
According
to him, the presence of Nigerian troops reassuring as it is to the people of Danare,
should not be mere tokenism but should be informed by a full evaluation of the
military challenges and the consequent deployment of adequate number of
soldiers who will be in the position to respond adequately to deter further
attacks.
Enoh
appealed to the Nigerian soldiers on ground to continue to fully discharge
their professional duties in defence of the people of Danare and the
territorial integrity of the Nigerian State.
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