By Atia Tilarious Azohnwi
Atanga Nji Paul, Minister of Territorial Administration has said those preaching secession in the diaspora and calling for the state of Ambazonia will be brought back by the same plane that brought Sisiku Ayuk Julius Tabe and co to Cameroon.
The minister was speaking Friday, August 3 while receiving four of the seven traditional rulers freed from the captivity of Ambazonia fighters. He received Chief Johnson Njoke Njombe of Wokaka, Chief Thomas Ndoto Elinge of Ewili, Chief Philip Mkwa of Wokeka, and Chief Herman Njumbe of Wokei along with Buea Mayor, Ekema Patrick Esunge and Councillor Wokama Ngange Edward.
“Those in the diaspora wrecking havoc have already been identified and localised. It is just a matter of time for them to be bundled back to Cameroon like what happened to those in Nigeria,“ Atanga Nji said.
The Territorial Administration Minister disclosed that the state will take every measure to protect the population and track down what he called “terrorists” He added that separatists in the North West and South West regions have raped 1280 girls and destroyed properties.
Atanga Nji advised the Ambazonia activists to repent because as he puts it, “The terrorists are in an adventure which will not last for long.”
The Minister of Territorial Administration said kidnapping chiefs who are custodians of tradition is unacceptable and assured them of government’s support.
His words: “Your royal highnesses, I want to tell you that the Head of State is with you and he will always support you in exercising your duties. You are the custodians of tradition. So, we have to respect you as the fathers of our land.
“What the terrorists have done – kidnapping you, torturing you – I want to tell you that they will pay for those crimes and all their generations will pay for the crimes because you are instituted authorities put in place by God Almighty. No one has the right to come and touch your physical integrity.”
He told the chiefs to go out and sensitise the population. “Go out and tell them that terrorism or acts of vandalism will not help them. They cannot build a nation. You cannot be asking for development and destroying public and private property.”
Atanga Nji qualified the Mayor of Buea Ekema Patrick Esunge as a patriotic citizen whose actions against pro-independence activists should be an example worth emulating.
“I want to give special thanks to the Mayor of Buea [Ekema Patrick Esunge] who is here in front of all of us. He is a patriotic Cameroonian; he is a model, he is an example. And in these challenging moments, we need courageous people like the Mayor of Buea. Otherwise, the terrorists will think that they are gaining grounds. They are not gaining grounds,” he said.
The Minister says “President Biya has given firm instructions to the forces of law and order to protect the civilian population. But at the same time to tract down all the terrorists and the criminals and hand them over to the justice.”
In a 23-page emergency humanitarian assistance plan released on Wednesday, June 20, 2018, the Government of Cameroon accused 13 persons for fuelling the violence in the two English-speaking regions of the country.
The government accused them of carrying out sustained campaigns to spread fear, hatred and violence through social media.
“Many of the people inciting the population to hatred and violence are based abroad: Mark Bara alias Bareta (Belgium), Ayaba Cho Lucas (Norway), Tapang Ivo Tanku, Akwanga Ebenezer, Dereck Mbongo, Nsoh Nkem Foncha, Chris Anu and Yinkfu Nsangong (United Stated of America), Shey Kaavi Wo Melim (Austria), Akoson Pauline Diale and her husband Akoson Raymond and Brado Etchu Tabenyang (Nigeria), John Mbah Akuro and Larry Eyong (South Africa),” the government said in the 23-page document.
“The Cameroonian Government has approached the authorities of the said countries to put an end to the terrorist support activities carried out on their territory. Reactions to this request are still awaited,” the government added.
Earlier on January 5, the leader of the separatist movement, Julius Ayuk Tabe was arrested in Nigeria alongside 46 others and deported to Cameroon where they have been held in detention, only appearing in public a few weeks back as investigations advance.