By Sadiq Umar – The Ambazonia self-determination group in Southern Cameroon has accused the Nigerian Government of complicity in the arrest and illegal detention of its leader Julius Ayuk Tabe, urging the international community to intervene to stop a bloodbath in Cameroon.
Mr. Tabe was arrested with 10 others on January 5 at a hotel in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, by armed men suspected to be working for the government of Cameroon.
The Ambazonia, which made up of the anglophone area in Southern Cameroons, had last year declared her independence from the Republic of Cameroon following repression against them by the Paul Biya led government.
In a statement sent to News Investigators, through APO Newswire, the group which described itself as “freedom fighters” expressed dismay that its detained members are denied access to lawyers and family members illegally by the Nigerian authorities.
It stated that “the Cameroon crisis isn’t about secessionists or separatists, as is being widely reported. Ours is rather a classic problem of a failed decolonization from British colonial rule. If Britain had granted Southern Cameroons independence like all other colonial powers did to their territories, this problem would not be here now.
“The Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia (the former British Southern Cameroons), notes with dismay, the fact that since abducted at gunpoint on January 5th, 2018, the President, Julius Ayuk Tabe and 10 other members of his Cabinet have not been granted access to any lawyer and family members by the Nigerian Government which we are now aware that in complicity with the Cameroon regime in Yaoundé, engineered their abduction,” its Secretary for Communications and IT, Chris Anu stated.
“We condemn vehemently, the fact that the Nigerian Government, more than a week after the abductions has not as much considered a press statement on the abductions even when the majority of those abducted are duly registered refugees in Nigeria. Nigeria is a signatory to International conventions on human rights, and to be acting recklessly as it is doing in this case, is a bridge of those conventions.
“The Interim Government IG, of Ambazonia calls on the Nigerian authorities to immediately effect the unconditional release of our President and the 10 others abducted along with him on January 5th.”
The Group which declared its self-autonomy from the francophone Cameroon demanded the immediate and unconditional release of: Dr. Nfor Ngala Nfor, Dr. Fidelis Nde Che, Dr. Henry Kimeng, Prof. Che Awasum, Dr. Cornelius Kwanga, Mr. Tassang Wilfred, Dr. Ojong Okonghor, Barrister Nalowa Bih, Barrister Shufai Blaise Berinyuh and Barrister Eyambe Elias
“We like to bring to the attention of the Nigerian Government, and the world at large the fact that these victims abducted in the guise of fomenting trouble in the nation of Cameroon are not Cameroonians.
“They are Ambazonians. And as long as the Cameroon Government continues the military occupation, assault, rape, killings and the savagery on property in the Ambazonian territory, our resolve to launch a campaign aimed at economic divestment in la Republic du Cameroun will not relent.
“We will target foreign companies that do business in La Republique du Cameroun and whose revenue supports Mr. Paul Biya’s corrupt and inefficient functionaries. It is time for Western Governments to pass a Cameroon Divestment Act that will force their governments to cut investment ties with companies doing business in La Republique du Cameroun. But if they don’t, our actions will definitely force them to do so.
“So, let it be made plain and clear, Ambazonians are not separatists or secessionists, we are freedom fighters in the order of Nkrumah, Lumumba, Awolowo, Azikiwe, John Garang, Nyerere etc., fighting colonization by La Republique du Cameroun. The Union between La Republique du Cameroun and the Southern Cameroons was never consummated.
“The IG of Ambazonia, will continue worldwide campaigns for Southern Cameroons’ right to self-determination and continuous nonviolent protest within Cameroon until our dream of a completely free and independent Ambazonia is achieved. Nothing less.
“Abducting our leaders isn’t going to deter us, it will only just spur us the more. And killing, arrest, torture, rape and even a hundred thousand more refugees will not deter our resolve.
“We have battled the injustice forced upon us by the British Government for Fifty Six years. If the International Community thinks we are now ready to let go at this juncture, it is mistaken. If the UN, EU, Commonwealth, the AU, the US and British governments want to stop a bloodbath in Cameroon, THE TIME IS NOW, not tomorrow. Every one of us, 8million Ambazonians will be killed before our territory will be made part of Cameroun again,” it added.
