Senate President mobilizes citizens against Boko Haram

Marcel Niat Njifenji, President of the Senate has over the weekend, rallied residents of the West region, elites and traditional rulers from the Southwest and Northwest regions for a sensitization campaign against the Nigerian Islamic terror group, Boko Haram.

During the rally which took place at the esplanade of the Bafoussam City Council, the Senate President called on citizens to support the Head of State, Paul Biya in his war against Boko Haram. He stated that the best way they can do so is through sharing of intelligence and information as well as denouncing suspects and collaborating with security forces.

Sultan Mbombo Njoya traditional ruler of the Bamums who also spoke at the event called on citizens to treat Boko Haram insurgents the same way they would treat high way robbers. “Let’s consider this group as a gang of highway robbers and treat them as such,” he said.

Nfor Tabetando, Senator, who attended the meeting in his capacity as traditional ruler of Bachu-Ntai in the Southwest Region, noted that Boko Haram is a national issue and should be treated as such.

“Meetings like this will prevent the group from extending their activities to other regions of the country,” He said.

Tabetando’s standpoint was corroborated by the Fon of Ngwo village in the Northwest region who noted that in as much as the activities of Boko Haram are felt greatly by inhabitants of the Northern region who are currently living in fear.

other regions such as the West, the North-West and South-West need to be alert because they too share common borders with Nigeria.

The meeting took place a week after a similar one was organised on Friday, May 30, by Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, Speaker of the National Assembly. He had rallied high-ranking government personalities, including ministers, members of parliament, mayors, and other elites of the Far North Region at the Maroua City Council hall, to map out strategies towards sensitizing inhabitants of the region against the terrorist sect.

The security focused meeting, which was also attended by the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence in charge of the gendarmerie, Jean Baptiste Bokam and the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelle, came at a time when cooperation between the locals and soldiers deployed to the region to concretise Biya’s declaration of war against the terror group is highly needed.

Addressing participants at the forum, Yeguie Djibril pointed out that the activities of the sect in the Far North Region if not immediately checked, could infuse terror within residents and lead to threats of an uprising or generate conflicts between Muslims, who might start suspecting each other of being Boko Haram informants.

He also said that the peace and stability which Cameroonians are enjoying can be compromised if the situation is treated with laxity.

It was resolved that foreigners in the region should be identified and denounced by citizens of the region in order to facilitate the job of security forces. Proposals were also made as regards the protection of citizens who provide information about Boko Haram to security forces and administrative authorities.

Unlike the meeting in the Far North which was flooded with supporters of the ruling CPDM, the Bafoussam sensitisation rally brought together leaders and supporters of both the ruling party and those of the opposition.