Jeff Ngawe Yufenyu
4 July 2008
The US State Department "Crime and Safety Report on Cameroon for 2008," indicates that high unemployment is a major cause of criminality in Yaounde, Douala and other towns in the country.
The report released by the American Embassy in Yaounde also rated Cameroon as a critical crime threat country.According to the report, wealthy Cameroonians, expatriates and members of the diplomatic community continue to be targeted; and people have been robbed inside and outside their residences, on the streets, in shops and other places, the report states.
It also states that most residential break-ins are perpetrated by small groups of armed bandits who prefer stealthy entry like using a rainstorm to mask their movements.
According to the report, in most cases, bandits overpower guards to enter residences. Persons resisting such break-ins are likely to be injured or killed.
To combat residential crime, which occurs frequently, most diplomats, expatriates and wealthy Cameroonians rely on 24-hour private security guards to protect residences and property.
The US government provides 24-hour security for all its official residence in Cameroon as unguarded property invites burglars, the report states.The report also mentions car-jacking as a major cause of concern. Victims of car-jacking who resist are likely to be injured or killed by the bandits who prefer luxury four-wheel drive vehicles.
The report also enumerates highway robbery (coupeurs de route) that target vehicles on the main commercial routes in the rural areas.These gangs, according to the report, are known to operate in areas close to the borders of Chad, Central African Republic and Nigeria. The bandits are known to be more active on local market days.
Meanwhile the British Foreign and Commonwealth Officer and other countries of the European Union have in separate reports also expressed concern about the overall crime situation in Cameroon.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
