Fight against Boko Haram: Commercial bike-riders' version

A meeting of the sector’s unions was to better their image often likened to that of the accomplices of the enemy.

Within their corporation, they claim a workforce of two million commercial bike-riders, distributed across the Cameroonian territory. The benskineurs, as they call themselves, are willing to play their part in the war against the Islamist sect Boko Haram.

It was also the subject of an awareness meeting held yesterday in Yaounde. All labour movements of the Cameroonian political capital on this occasion were grouped around Dieudonné Nguegho, the coordinator of trade union movements of commercial bike-riders. There was a talk during the operation to raise awareness of commercial bike-riders on the need to be more vigilant now, to sharpen their sensitivity to not be victims or prey of these barbarian followers of Boko Haram.

According to the union, commercial bike-riders have a large population and must be aware, educated in order to counter the abuses of the nebula Islamist sect. "We should work more with our eyes open…, "says the coordinator of trade union movements.

A descent in the Far North

The owners of two-wheeled vehicles are indeed very exposed; since they work on days and nights carrying unknown people during their job. They are found everywhere in the cities and the neighborhoods. Extremists usually use them to reach their targets.

"When Boko Haram begun in the Far North, it was with commercial bike-riders that these people were doing their dirty work," notes Mathieu Bertin Fodjeu, national president of the commercial bike-riders unions. In the same logic as the Head of State Paul Biya, commercial bike-riders believe that the fight against this sect is not the case of one person.

“Commercial bike-riders' role in fighting Boko Haram is to listen carefully to any conversation with clients that we carry and give useful information to the right authorities," revolves Dieudonné Nguegho. In fact, there are emergency numbers such as 117, 119 and 1500 which were distributed to commercial bike-riders.

It should be noted that on the night of Sunday, 12 July 2015, Boko Haram used the "kamikaze" method for the first time to attack in Cameroon. This attack killed 13 people in Fotokol, a town in the Far North of Cameroon.

Supporters of Aboukar Shekau have already sown distrust among the population of Cameroon. In the Far North region, the activity of commercial bike-riders is prohibited at night for several months.

"The commercial bike-riders in the area of this part of Cameroon to this day have very little awareness about the abuses caused by Boko Haram hence the need for another trip in this part of our country," the plan Coordinator of Commercial Bike-riders Trade Union Movements.