Ayade: Cameroon smuggling arms, mercenaries to Nigeria

The seceding Ambazonian Republic in Cameroon as well as the Cameroonian government have been accused of smuggling goods and arms through 27 illegal routes to Nigeria.

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade on Friday made the accusation in Calabar after the weekly security meeting and blamed the security challenges on the crisis in Southern Cameroon.

“Let me bring to the knowledge of Cross Riverians and indeed Nigerians that 80 percent of security issues we are dealing with is a as result of the war just by our borders. The Southern Cameroon guerrilla warfare is basically the Amazonians trying to secede from Cameroon. And as a result, there is an influx of persons into the country through over 27 illegal routes, who smuggle in goods of different kinds, sell them and use the money to acquire arms, recruit our young men and women and use them as mercenaries to fight back home.

“I will not hesitate to cry out that Cross River State has been left hanging and crying in this crisis. Aside from the humanitarian effort in addressing the issues in food security in the refugee camps and the communal skirmishes, the state has not received any special incentives knowing that a war at your backyard is a war in your house,” he said.

The governor urged the Federal Government to upgrade military platforms and fully fund the police fully to tackle the rising cases of crimes in the state.