Southwest Governor Shuts Down Commercial Activities In Idabato, And Gives the Nigerian Community An Ultimatum Of 72 H To Bring Back Abducted DO

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Administration confirms that 95 % of the population of Idabato, are Nigerians

There are fears of an eruption of a diplomatic crisis between neighbouring Nigeria and Cameroon, following a no–nonsense decision bythe Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, who on October 8, 2024 gave the Nigerian community that is said to constitute as high as 95 % of the population of Idabato, in Ndian Division, an ultimatum of 72 hours to bring back the abducted DO, Ewane Roland. The Governor also ordered that all businesses premises in Idabato be shut down, and all commercial activities put on hold, during the 72 hour period.

Abduction Of The DO Of Idabato

It would be recalled that the DO of Idabato  Sub -division, Ewane Roland, was abducted in the early hours of  Tuesday,  October 1, 2024, by  a group of unknown armed men.  A staff of  the Idabato Municipal Council, Etongo Ismael, was Kidnapped alongside the DO . The two men were reportedly whisked off in a speed boat towards Nigeria. It was not immediately clear whether the unidentified gun men were pirates, an armed separatist group or a resistant group operating in the creeks in neighbouring Nigeria. Some people even suspected that the abduction might be connected to the separatist group in Anglophone Cameroon,  given that the incident took place on October 1, that the separatists fighters also known as Amba boys, celebrated what they term is independence day.  Probably the armed group from nrighbouring Nigeria, programmed their operation on October 1 to create some confusion.

Meanwhile the Cameroonian authorities had on that October 1, called on their Nigerian counterparts, to, within the framework of the cross – border cooperation between their two countries, try to take appropriate and prompt action to track down the kidnappers of the DO and council staff. But nothing serious or concrete was heard about the abducted DO of Idabato, throughout last week.

Southwest Governor Visits Idabato

Meanwhile Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, on October 8, 2024, visited Idabato, to assess the situation on the ground. The Governor was red with anger that information gathered on the ground, revealed that some members of the Nigeria community in Idabato, played the role of accomplices in the abduction of the DO, Ewane Roland, and the council staff.  The Governor noted that the Nigerian Community in Idabato is as high as 95 % of the population, and have been refusing to pay taxes.  He said the Nigerians have been highly opposed to the DO , Ewane Roland, who had been insisting that they should respect the Laws in their host country, and that all those carrying out commercial  or income generating  activities, should pay  their taxes.  To the Governor, the Nigerians’ strong opposition to the payment of taxes was certainly  behind the abduction of the DO,, with the complicity of some Nigerians in Idabato.

Governor Okalai Bilai confirmed that the abducted DO was in the hands of the kidnappers in Nigeria, but gave no details. He however insisted that the Nigerians in Idabato, know the hoodlums that kidnapped the DO and council staff, and took them to Niigeria.   The Governor thus told them to go and bring back the DO., within 72 hours, that is three days. He however did not say what will happen if the 72hours period elapse, when the DO has not yet been brought back to Idabato.

It should be noted the Governor visited the residence of  DO of Idabato. Images showed that the kidnappers had destroy part of the main door into the DO;s house which looked quite solid, to have access into the house.

Meanwhile so far nothing has been said about the security officers who were supposed to be guarding the DO’s residence , considering that the Bakassi Peninsula has serious security problems because of the pirates and  other armed groups operating in the creeks in neighbouring Nigeria, which is not far off.