As end-of-year festivities approach: MINDEF boss prescribes preventive actions to curb crime waves.

He made the call during a meeting in Yaounde yesterday. The meeting held at the behest of the President of the Republic, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Paul Biya, aimed at assessing the country’s security situation prior to the celebrations of 2023 end-of-year festivities and the New Year 2024.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary of State to the Minister of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Yves Galax Etoga; the Secretary of State to the Minister of Defence in charge of the Ex-Servicemen and War Victims, Koumpa Issa; Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguele; the Secretary General and Ministry of Territorial Administration amongst others.

The conclave comes weeks to the end-of-year celebrations, a period typically characterised by intense economic activity and a large flow of people and goods.

According to the Minister Beti Assomo, these festive periods are often accompanied by comprehensible excesses and increased crime waves by nebulous individuals. 

“We must be fully aware that the country’s security at this particular time concerns the whole of the national territory and we must do everything we can to prevent and avoid the emergence of any additional source of insecurity, endogenous and exogenous, in the country,” MINDEF boss said.

Cross section of security top brass during meeting in Yaounde

He equally stressed that “emphasis must also be placed on preventive action”. 

These actions, he said, will be against crimes on roads, ensure close monitoring of pockets of social discontent, control of movement of people and goods, proactiveness in dealing with social upheavals, anticipation in the management of man-made and natural disasters as well as the relentless fight against urban and rural violence.

Minister Beti Assomo emphasised that Cameroonians have to live through this end-of-year period in a security context marked by pockets of security concerns, notably in the Far North, North West and South West regions.

Reviewing general security situation of the country, the minister said: “In the Far North Region, we are witnessing persistent incursions by terrorists from the Islamic sect Boko Haram in search of food”. 

He then assured that concerted offensive actions of security forces, in collaboration with administrative authorities and local populations, have proven to be effective amidst the adversity.

“These offensive actions have been fruitful, especially with the support of the Multinational Joint Force,” he said. 

However, he said a number of objective security indicators call for caution and increased vigilance. 

In the eastern part of the country, the minister said the activities of rebel groups in neighbouring countries are far from being over, thus necessitating the need for extreme vigilance to prevent any incursions into the national territory. 

He avowed that the situation in the southern border is relatively calm and well under control. 

“Maritime threats have been contained thanks to coordinated action by our forces and cooperation with the navies of Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tomé and Principe, Gabon and Congo Brazzaville,” he stated. 

Regarding the situation in the major metropolises, the MINDEF boss highlighted the need for vigilance to be rekindled taking into account the rising frustration of the populations in Yaounde and Douala, who are constantly voicing their concerns over the states of urban roads in certain sections, poor collection of household waste, frequent power cuts, amongst other. 

Minister Joseph Beti Assomo presiding over security meeting

Homage paid to victims of atrocities

During the meeting, a minute of silence was observed in memory of all compatriots, both military and civilian, who died as a result of atrocities committed by armed groups in different parts of the country and ictims of the recent killings of several civilians in the locality of Egbekaw, Mamfé Subdivision, Manyu Division, South West Region, Monday November 6. 

“With regard to the North West and South West regions, terrorist groups have for some time favoured gratuitous violence against the civilian populations of these regions by destroying their property and kidnapping them,” the minister stated, before adding that: “…these outlaws take advantage of any occasion, such as festivities or areas where there are gaps, to carry out perfidious acts of violence against civilian populations who oppose their criminal actions”. 

He also raised the growing problems of armed transhumance between states and cross-border insecurity along the border with Chad. 

“It is within this framework that, on the Very High Instructions of the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, on 02 and 03 October 2023, I received a delegation from the Republic of Chad led by the Minister of the Armed Forces, Veterans and Victims of War, for bilateral talks in Yaoundé on common cross-border security issues,” he added.

Meanwhile, at the end of the formal opening of the security meeting, discussions then ensued behind closed doors, to allow the operational chiefs to go through the exact security situation in the country.

At the end of the meeting, recommendations will be forwarded to the Head of State, for fresh instructions and orientations to the defence and security forces to continue to work to protect citizens and their property and to ensure the territorial integrity of the country.