Cameroon detains Nigerian pastors over kidnapping

Cameroon detains Nigerian pastors over kidnapping

Cameroonian authorities have arrested and detained five Nigerian pastors and several others in the Idabato II community, formerly known as the Bakassi Peninsula.

The arrests came after the kidnapping of Divisional Officer Ewane Roland by armed men in early October.

According to Eniola Alabo, a former chairman of the Yoruba community in the area, the Cameroonian government blamed Nigerians for the abduction and deployed soldiers to arrest them.

“The Gendarmerie came to the community and started shooting sporadically into the air on the day they arrested some of these Nigerians,” Alabo said.

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The kidnapping of Divisional Officer Roland occurred on October 1, 2024, when gunmen used a flying boat to whisk him away from the coastal area. Another official, Etongo Ismaeil, was also taken.

The detainees include Iseoluwa Eniola, Feran Ajimosun, Idowu Ajimosun, Abiola Ajimosun, Blessing Ajimosun, Sunny Bassey, Feran Samagbeyi, and Godwin.

Cameroon’s South-West Governor, Bernard Okalia, visited Idabato on October 8, 2024, and declared a total lockdown of the area, which is home to mostly Nigerian fishermen. Okalia issued a 72-hour ultimatum to both Nigerians and Cameroonians in the community to produce Roland alive.

The incident has sparked tension in the border town, with many Nigerians living in the area expressing fear and anxiety. The Cameroonian government has yet to comment on the arrests and the ongoing investigation.

 

Cameroon detains Nigerian pastors over kidnapping