Gunmen Kidnap Southern Cameroonian President in Nigeria

By Dipo Olowookere

Some unidentified gunmen have abducted President of the Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia (Southern Cameroon), Mr Sisiku Ayuk Tabe.

He was kidnapped alongside other members of his cabinet at a hotel in Abuja, Nigeria on Friday night during a meeting.

Reports said some heavily armed men stormed venue of the meeting about 7:30pm Nigerian time at Nera Hotels, (Ekwueme Road), Abuja Non January 5, 2018, and went away with the President and nine other officials.

A statement signed by Secretary of Communications and IT in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, Mr Chris Anu, urged the Nigerian authorities to look into the matter.

The other officials abducted by the gunmen were Dr Nfor Ngala Nfor, Chairman of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC); Dr Fidelis Nde Che; Dr Henry Kimeng; Prof Awasum; Dr Cornelius Kwanga; Mr Tassang Wilfred; Barrister Eyambe Elias; Dr Ojong Okongho; and Barrister Nalowa Bih.

According to the statement signed by Mr Anu, the President and his team were in Abuja to discuss the Southern Cameroons Refugee crisis in Nigeria and to galvanize relief support for housing, medical and feeding in anticipation of the approaching rainy season.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has been notified of the incident and it is currently investigating the situation. The Interim Government of the Southern Cameroons calls on all Southern Cameroonians to remain calm as it pursues investigations.

“Southern Cameroonians continue to be victims of extra judicial killings orchestrated by President Paul Biya and his henchmen.

“President Paul Biya and his henchmen must know that Southern Cameroonians will continue to assert their right to self-determination and will hold Paul Biya to account on all the killings of Southern Cameroonians.

“We call on Nigerian authorities to address this issue immediately and ensure that the Cameroun Government does not do any harm to them. We also call on the Nigerian authorities to investigate this threat against its sovereignty by La Republique du Cameroun.

“We call on the Nigerian government to guarantee the security of the more than 20,000 Southern Cameroonian refugees in various camps in Nigeria,” he said.