By DOH JAMES SONKEY
Cameroon and Nigeria being two neighbouring countries sharing the longest borders as compared to other neighbours have resolved to beef up security measures at their common borders in order to frustrate dubious plans of unscrupulous individuals like terrorists from ruining the two countries. Also, they intend by the move to fight against trans-border crimes such as terrorism, highway robbery, maritime piracy, illegal drugs and medication, human trafficking, proliferation and illicit circulation of arms, money laundering, agro pastoral conflicts, poaching in parks and game reserves, contraband etc.
This was one of the major resolutions adopted at the end of the 7th session of the Cameroon-Nigeria Trans-border Security Committee held last July 4 and 5, 2019 at the Yaounde Conference Centre, Hilton Hotel and Mont Febe Hotel under the distinguished patronages of the President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
The 7th session was co-chaired by the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji who led the 36-man Cameroonian Delegation to the deliberations including Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in charge of the Commonwealth, Felix Mbayu, Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, Governor of the North West region, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique, etc and Brigadier General EA Ndagi, leader of the 33-man Nigerian Delegation which included Brigadier General, R. Abubakar, Brigadier General, BO Sawyer, governors of border states with Cameroon etc.
In both his opening and closing addresses, Minister Atanga Nji stressed on the need for both brotherly countries to remain vigilant and be proactive in order to put under control security threats caused by secessionist movements
On his part, the leader of the 33-man Nigerian Delegation, Brigadier General Ndagi reassured Cameroon authorities that “we will not allow crisis in the North West and South West regions to affect our border relationship as we will continue to support government efforts towards finding a peaceful solution to the crisis for a return to normalcy”.
Governors of the administrative regions of Cameroon and the Federated States of Nigeria situated along the common borders met on the sideline of the workshops to examine problems of common interest and propose immediate solutions.
The Cameroon-Nigeria Trans-border Security Committee was created by a bilateral agreement signed in Abuja on February 28, 2012 and given a mission to strengthen ties between the two countries on trans-border security issues.
In respect to the creation agreement stipulating that the Committee shall meet twice a year in ordinary session, alternatively in Cameroon and Nigeria, members met in Yaounde in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019 and in Abuja in 2014, 2015, 2018.