Cameroon: Adamawa, East Regions - Government Steps Up Security Measures

Defence Minister, Joseph Beti Assomo presented the measures during a question time plenary sitting in the Senate on July 5, 2017.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo has disclosed the security measures government has taken to curb the upsurge of attacks by armed groups that cross from Nigeria and the Central African Republic into the East and Adamawa Regions, as well as the phenomenon of highway robbery that is resurfacing. This was during a question time plenary sitting of the Senate chaired by Senate President Marcel Niat Njifenji on July 5, 2017. He answered a question from Senator Mohaman Gabdo Yaya who expressed worries about the upsurge of attacks, especially in Mayo-Banyo Division of the Adamawa Region perpetrated by armed men that cross from Taraba State in Nigeria, fleeing the ethnic conflicts in the area. The Defence Minister used the occasion to state what government was doing to tackle the rising insecurity and eradicate crimes and banditry in the Adamawa, East and North Regions. He said at the external level, Cameroon has sent forces that are fighting to restore security in the Central African Republic within the framework of the United Nations Multinational Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). He said by trying to secure the Central African Republic, the forces were also securing Cameroon. He also disclosed that talks were on going for forces from Cameroon within MINUSCA to be deployed along the borders of the two countries so that they can better secure Cameroon. At the internal level, Beti Assomo cited measures taken to strengthen the presence of the security forces and the military in the regions concerned with the attacks. He enumerated a series of military and defence structures created with the infantry, air force and National Gendarmerie. He said the ongoing recruitments launched at the level of the military, National Gendarmerie and the Police force are intended to get more security forces that will as a matter of priority be deployed to zones that have a high rate of insecurity. He said the State has set up the security measures according to the available means and called for the continuous collaboration of the population through vigilante groups.

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.