Emergency Rule: Only 1,500 Nigerians Fled To Cameroon – Ambassador

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  The Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, Ambassador Hadiza Mustapha, yesterday, said that over 1,500 Nigerians have moved into the northern part of Cameroon in the wake of military operations in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe State.
  
  This, according to her, is contrary to reports in the media that the number of  refugees has clocked over 3000, and added that the 1,500 persons was confirmed by the UN Refugee Commission and the Cameroonian authorities.
  
  “What I have seen in the media is over 3000 refugees in the northern part of the Cameroon. But when we asked the authorities there we were told they are 1,500 and the UN Refugee Commission is taking care of them.
  
  “What is also good and which is also an indication of good relationship is that, unlike in some countries where refugees would be given just a few days or weeks or months to leave their territory once situation normalises but the authorities have told us that our people are here, the UN system is looking after them, and they have not given us deadline to get our people back to Nigeria”, the Envoy stated.
  
  Addressing Journalists ahead of the summit of Heads of States and Governments of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) on maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea billed to begin today, Mustapha said that the collaborative effort between security forces of Nigeria and Cameroon had yielded fruitful results against the activities of Boko Haram.
  
  “This is what happens, as long as you cannot choose your neighbour you can choose how to live with your neighbour, that is why peace is very important. I have been here for 10 months and since we put the Bakassi issue behind us, there has been a lot of improvement in our relations. And with that improvement a lot of cooperation is now possible.
  
  “We have also signed a trans-border security agreement with Cameroon. That is a very good document, it is a good achievement because in that document we have virtually agreed to exchange information, do joint operation, help each other to deport suspected criminals. It is not for terrorism alone,it is for all other trans-national or trans-border criminal activities. This has also contributed to a lot of economic and political relations,” she said
  
  Mustapha also said that Nigerians living in Cameroon were very well behaved, hardworking, law abiding and holding the economy of Cameroon together in critical areas.
  
  “We are going to visit the north after this summit and also get in touch with the Nigerian authorities handling that. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has already been in touch with us and we have given them this information. So it is under control”, she assured.
  
  She said, “You know the story of the Cameroons and the Cameronian gendarmes, I come from a border town so I know. It is true that some are high- handed, that the gendarmes don’t seem to have a very good reputation but this is not only with Nigerians.
  
  “There were a lot of these cases in the past but like I said with the improvement in the relationship, I have spoken with all the security agencies over these concerns and I have been given assurances and I have no reason to doubt the assurances that I have been given, that no Nigerian will be targeted specifically because he is a Nigerian. All they want is for us to sensitise our population to be law abiding.