Cameroon separatist leaders arrested in Abuja

Security forces have arrested leaders of Ambazonia separatist movement, a Cameroonian group seeking independence from the Francophone country.

French is the official language in the country but English is spoken in two regions.

It is not clear those who are behind the arrest which happened when the group was having a meeting at Nera Hotel in Abuja, on Friday.

When contacted, Sani Usman, spokesman of the Nigerian army, said the military is not behind the raid.

“What has that got to do with the army?” he said in response to a text message sent by TheCable.

Those picked up were Julius Tabe, Nfor Nfor, Fidelis Che, Henry Kimeng, Awasum, Cornelius Kwanga, Tassang Wilfred, Eyambe Elias, Ojong Okongho and Nalowa Bih.

The Anglophone part of the country has been accusing the government of President Paul Biya of indiscrimination.

Biya has been in power for 35 years.

Dozens of them have been killed, with many arrested in anti-government protests.

In a statement sent to TheCable, Chris Anu, spokesman of the Ambazonia separatist movement, called for the immediate release of those arrested in Abuja.

He said Southern Cameroonians would continue to assert their right to self-determination.

“The interim government of the Southern Cameroons condemns and calls for the immediate release of President Julius Ayuk Tabe,” the statement read

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has been notified of the incident and it is currently investigating the situation.

“This criminal abduction happened during a meeting being chaired by H.E. Sisiku Ayuk Tabe. The President and his team were in a high command meeting in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria at the time the Cameroun Gunmen showed up at the Hotel.

“The meeting started at around 5pm, Nigerian time. At around 7:30PM, the gunmen came into the Hotel and abducted all of them including the president.”

Anu said the meeting was about the welfare of those who fled to Nigeria as a result of the clampdown in Cameroon.

“The meeting was scheduled to discuss the Southern Cameroons Refugee crisis in Nigeria and to galvanise relief support for housing, medical and feeding in anticipation of the approaching rainy season,” he said.

“We call on Nigerian authorities to address this issue immediately and ensure that the Cameroun government does not do any harm to them. We also call on the Nigerian authorities to investigate this threat against its sovereignty by La Republique du Cameroun.

“We call on the Nigerian government to guarantee the security of the more than 20,000 Southern Cameroonian refugees in various camps in Nigeria.”  (The Cable )