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Senate summons defence minister over invasion by Cameroonian soldiers

By George Opara,  Abuja
08 February 2018   |   4:03 am
The Senate has summoned the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali, to explain to its committee on defence why the Camerounian soldiers invaded some communities in Cross River State.

Defense Minister, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali

The Senate has summoned the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali, to explain to its committee on defence why the Cameroonian soldiers invaded some communities in Cross River State.

The upper chamber also called on military authorities to beef up its presence and embark on intensive border patrol in Obanliku, Boki, Etung and Ikom to forestall further acts of trespass.

The agitation for the independence of Southern Cameroon degenerated into a crisis that had caused the influx of over 6,000 refugees to the border communities.
These resolutions came yesterday on the heels of an adopted motion sponsored by Senator John Owan and co-sponsored by two others.

In his presentation, the lawmaker said more than 80 Camerounian soldiers with various weapons on January 25, crossed the international boarder of the Danare-Daddi/Danare-Bodom axis and abducted five natives.

He explained that the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR),  had biometrically registered 10,000 arrivals in the hinterlands of the state and said more people were awaiting registration.The lawmakers said that women and children who dominated the refugees population are vulnerable as they fled into the country without their families and parents.

Given the precarious situation, fears were expressed that reception facilities not limited to accommodation, food, medical treatment and other basic human needs were inadequate and could lead to prostitution and gender-based violence.

The lawmakers, however, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to provide the refugees with relief materials for the  prevention of possible outbreak of epidemic.

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