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Brutality of Camerounian Gendarmes

This Day (Lagos)
EDITORIAL
November 29, 2005
Posted to the web November 30, 2005
Lagos
Once more, the Camerounian authorities are dehumanising Nigerians in the name
of deportation. Though every country has the right to implement its immigration
laws, the brutalisation of immigrants to be deported is certainly not part of
that right.
What makes the latest Camerounian outrage all the more worrisome, apart from
the dispute over the Bakassi peninsular, is the socio-linguistic colouration it
has assumed. The fight for emancipation by Southern Camerounians who are
largely English-speaking, like Nigerians, has pitched them against the more
formidable French-speaking part. The former have raised alarm at various fora
over purported cases of torture and other forms of barbarism unleashed on them
by their ruling French compatriots. Now that Nigerians who live in Cameroun
have been caught in this hostile internal clash, apathy on the part of the
Nigerian government to their plight would mean an invitation to the continued
harassment and humiliation of our countrymen.
The Camerounian gendarmes and police who carry out these despicable acts often
claim that the victims are those who do not possess the permits required for
residence in Nigeria's eastern neighbour. However, the tales of most of the
returnees point to a contrary position. Their narrations paint the picture of
an offensive akin to a full-blown war, a situation in which Nigerians are
severely beaten and treated like slaves. It is said that when demand is made
for their immigration documents and they are produced, money would be extorted
from the helpless Nigerians all the same. Failure to pay ends in the sort of
brutalisation that is often fatal.
In this 21st century, it must be a rare place indeed where death is what
illegal immigrants get as was the case of Gokana Friday from Rivers State who
was shot dead for non-possession of a resident permit. Another, Akon Asuquo, a
78-year old woman from Akwa Ibom who had lived in Cameroon for 53 years and
worked as a farmer and petty trader was among the deportees who arrived Nigeria
two weeks ago with their heads bowed but with a sense of gratitude to
providence for escaping from death. Her words: "As you can see, I am almost a
destitute now. I want the government to go and bring our people from that
country. What they are facing there is not what I can say here. Let the
government do something urgently before we lose many of our people."
We expect the government not to allow the situation to degenerate further
before acting. Cameroun is not the only African country where Nigerians have
been subjected to ill-treatment. In the past, Libya, South Africa and some West
African countries have taken their turns to either vent their frustrations on
Nigerians or make them bear the brunt of failed local policies.
The point must be made that no self-respecting country would close its eyes to
provocation of the Camerounian variety in the name of peaceful neigbourliness
or continental brotherhood. If Nigerians are there illegally, the Camerounian
authorities are free to deport them without beatings and other forms of inhuman
treatment.
We are scandalised that our government is yet to react to these provocations.
If it did, it must have been a closet affair. Nigerians deserve to know what
their elected government is doing in the face of the unprovoked spilling of the
blood of their countrymen and women abroad.
While we do not encourage the aggravation of the acrimony between the two
countries, we call on the Nigerian government to carry out thorough
investigations into the matter and mobilise its diplomatic arsenal to reassure
Nigerians that their lives of concern to it anywhere they are. It would also
demonstrate to other countries that we possess the capacity and are ready to
protect our citizens who reside there. The time to act decisively is now!

   

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