Deputy gov sad over Ambazonia rebels’ killing of C’River community leaders

Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Peter Odey has expressed unhappiness over the invasion of Belegete community in Obanliku Local Government Area by separatist fighters from southwest Cameroon, the Ambazonia Boys.

They were said to have abducted and killed several community leaders, including the clan head, Francis Okweshi.

The Cameroonian rebels invaded the Cross River community on 5 December, 2023, abducted over 30 indigenes, maimed and killed many.

As at yesterday, they were still occupying the community, which is next to the famous Obudu Mountain resort, Newspot learnt.

The deputy governor expressed his concern yesterday when he received the Integrated Border Governance and Inter-Ministerial Committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Interior in his office which came to ascertain the challenges being faced by borderline communities.

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He pointed out that one major challenge faced by the state has been the large influx of refugees from Cameroon as a result of the ongoing armed insurrection which started in 2017.

He said the State has four international borders and currently hosts 52,000 Cameroonian refugees, the highest in Nigeria.

Odey regretted that some of the clashes in border communities were the result of identity crisis and called on the Federal Government to ensure that the Renewed Hope AGENDA of the federal government was felt by all Nigerians, including those in border communities.

Speaking earlier, Team Lead of the Federal Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Comfort Kabirwa explained the purpose of their visit to include identifying the problems on site in order to proffer solutions.

Kabirwa hinted that the Minister of Interior hopes that there will be more visible government presence in border communities.

She said the communities remained at the receiving end of these challenges hence the need for an inter-ministerial committee.

Comptroller S. A. Agba, a member of the team, said the visit will provide information that could lead to the establishment of outposts for various security agencies to regulate migration and immigration which will curtail the influx of foreigners.