Below is an excerpt of an outing made by Lilian Ayuk Tabe, wife of detained Ambazonia leader, Sisiku Ayuk Julius Tabe. The video clip that has been circulating on social media for some time now has Mrs Ayuk Tabe praying that refugees and internal displaced people be given succour. Excerpts:-
Dear friends, family members and southern Cameroonians.
The past six months have been turbulent and grievously pernicious for our family following the abduction of my husband, Julius Ayuk Tabe and other Southern Cameroonian leaders in Nigeria and unlawfully transferred to Yaoundé and kept incommunicado for six months.
It has been the most difficult of times with family and friends. But we are encouraged and very satisfied with the outpouring of support for the safety and wellbeing of our husbands, our brothers, our fathers and our sons who are still detained in Yaoundé.
On behalf of the wives of the abductees, we are very humbled by this show of support. And we will remain forever indebted to your prayers, moral and financial support. We want to thank the legal team in Nigeria and Cameroon for advocating for the release of my husband and the other detainees in Nigeria. We want to thank the interim government, the people of Southern Cameroons and the international community for their unprecedented support rendered thus far. Today, we are pleading to express our grieve concern regarding the situation of the Cameroonian refugees scattered in neighbouring Nigeria and internally displaced in Cameroun. We also express concerns regarding the safety of my husband, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe as well as other abductees. And we ask for prayers and blessings to continue supporting our community by providing spiritual and financial assistance to the defense of our leaders and the refugees in these times of extraordinary humanitarian need. The enduring crisis in Southern Cameroons has brought unprecedented suffering to the local people and to those who have been forced to flee the region. As a result of this crisis, many families have been torn apart resulting in children being separated from their parents and furthermore, many of their families are still unaware of their whereabouts.
Mrs Lilian Ayuk Tabe
As a mother and a wife, I feel the pain of all mothers and wives who have lost their sons and husbands in this crisis. May God, grant them the strength and peace to endure in these trying times. We have reached a horrible stage in our lives as Southern Cameroonians. At no time in recorded history have so many men, women and children had to flee their homes in Southern Cameroons. About 63,000 people are displaced and currently living in squalid and deplorable conditions in refugee camps in Nigeria while over 160,000 more are internally displaced. Tragically, there appears to be no end in sight for the tragically, there appears to be no end in sight to the conflict that is responsible for 100 percent of this displacements. According to the UNHCR, the influx is continuing unabated. Distressingly and disturbingly, women and children make up about 80 percent of these refugees and internally displaced persons. Many of them are women who are heads of households because their husbands have been detained, killed or forced to flee. We are beginning to see scenes reminiscent of suffering Ethiopian refugees in the 1980s. This information and the individual lives that are often hidden in the faces of these massive numbers require us to act to galvanise our community and friends to support. The humanitarian needs have never been greater. The UN humanitarian appeal is now calling for almost 15 million US dollars for lifesaving assistance. Yet, very little has been fulfilled. We the wives are the forgotten family members longing for the release of our husbands. We are the mothers longing for the release of our sons. And we are the daughters longing for the release of our fathers. It is hard to play the role of a father and a mother during these difficult times. We have the daunting task of defending our husbands, our brothers, our sons and our fathers in court to prove their innocence. This will require huge amounts of money to help hire lawyers represent them. With this in mind, a legal defence fund has been set up to help secure their freedom. To donate to this fund, text Sisiku to 91999.
I want to call on Pope Francis to join the call for the release of all political prisoners in Cameroon including my husband because his role as leader of the Catholic Church is very vital. I want to call on the UN Secretary General Anthonio Guterress, President Trump, President Macron, Prime Minister Theresa May, President Buhari to call upon the authorities of the Republic of Cameroon to help us accompany the following: the unconditional release of all political prisoners including my husband, Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe; to expunge conviction of political prisoners and reinstate them in their rights and seek a lasting negotiated settlement of the Southern Cameroons crisis. Let us all continue to pray for the release of all Southern Cameroonian detainees and for their families. Thank you very much.