Tension engulfed the Danare community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State on Wednesday after heavily armed Cameroonian soldiers reportedly entered the border settlement and fired warning shots during a confrontation with local youths who challenged their presence.
- +Cameroonian military entry sparks panic in C’River community
The soldiers were seen carrying sophisticated weapons as residents, including women and youths, insisted that Danare remains Nigerian territory.
The soldiers were seen carrying sophisticated weapons as residents, including women and youths, insisted that Danare remains Nigerian territory.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said community youths confronted the troops, insisting that Danare is within Nigerian territory.
He said the situation nearly escalated into violence when the soldiers fired several shots into the air in an apparent attempt to disperse the crowd and advance further into the community.
“The Cameroonian soldiers shot several times to scare away the youths who blocked their further advance into Nigerian territory,” he said.
The Chairman of Boki Local Government Area, Beatrice Nyiam, reacting to the alleged unauthorised entry of Cameroonian military personnel into Danare, assured residents that the matter was receiving the attention of relevant security agencies and government authorities.
She urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and avoid actions that could escalate tensions in the border area.
“I want to assure our people that the matter is receiving the attention of relevant security agencies and government authorities.
“Everyone should remain calm, law-abiding and avoid actions capable of escalating tensions in the border area,” she said.
A former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Cletus Obun, confirmed the development, describing it as another episode in the long-running border dispute between communities in the area and neighbouring Cameroon.
Obun attributed the recurring incursions to what he described as inadequate protection of Nigeria’s border communities, alleging that Cameroon had continued to challenge aspects of the United Nations-backed boundary demarcation arising from the International Court of Justice ruling on the Bakassi Peninsula.
Reacting, the spokesman of the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Maj Yemi Sokoya, said military authorities were aware of the development and would issue an official statement after receiving details from personnel on the ground.
“The matter is true. We will issue an official release soon,” he said.
