Joseph Beti Assomo returns from the front

The Minister of Defence (MINDEF) devoted his first official day after his appointment to Government on October 2, to two regions (the Far North and East) plagued by security problems at the borders.

The visit to make contact with the heads of military operational units took place from 26 to 30 October, 2015, in two stages. First, Joseph Beti Assomo, with General of the Army Corps, Rene Claude Meka, Chief of General Staff of the armed and other senior members of the defense forces, visited the Far -North from 26 to 28 October 2015.

In this region, populated by almost four million people, Boko Haram attackers mainly cause insecurity in three border departments (Mayo-Sava, Mayo-Tsanaga, Logone -and-Chari) with Borno State in Nigeria.

In Maroua, capital of the Far North, the Mindef chaired an important meeting in closed session at the command post of the Fourth Joint Military Region (RMIA4) Emergence 4 umbrella and Alpha operations.

He also made a stop at the command post of the Logone operation to galvanize the Cameroonian and Chadian soldiers who work in synergy. At Kousseri (capital of the department of Logone-et-Chari) and Mora (capital of Mayo-Sava), the Mindef also met with military officials to assess the security situation on the ground, the needs of the men at the front ...

Visits also to the Lamido of Maroua and Kousseri and Mora Sultans aimed at mobilizing traditional authorities to be more collaborative in the fight against the Boko Haram sect which now uses boys and girls as "human bombs".

He made a trip to the base of the first multinational joint force area, commanded by Brigadier General Buba Dobékréo at Mora. The second stage of the visit of the Mindef was devoted to the Eastern Region plagued by security problems due to the socio-political instability in the Central African Republic.

Armed gangs scavenging in the neighboring countries carry out sporadic incursions into Cameroonian territory to refuel. At the east, Joseph Beti Assomo paid a 72-hour visit, from 28 to 30 October. In Bertoua, capital of the eastern region, he toured the head of all the military services and conferred with all the heads of respective military units.

He went to Yokadouma, capital of the department of boumba-et-ngoko which shares borders with the Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville. Here poachers pose a threat to endangered species and illegal logging. On the last day of his stay in the East, the Mindef also visited the city of Garoua-Boulai, gateway to CAR, an important point on the Douala-Bangui corridor.