Bakassi: Defence minister communes with soldiers in Jabane.

The visit was on the high instruction of the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, President Paul Biya.

The visit to commune with and calvanise the soldiers came after those of previous years in Kidjimatari, Fotokol, Mamfe, Kye-Ossi, the Central African Republic, Tibati, Dschang and Garoua-Boulai.

The defence minister’s first stop, in the early hours of December 31, 2023, was at the Command Post of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR Delta in Jabane, a locality in the Bakassi peninsula. 

Here, he visited the dispensary of BIR Delta and the Gendarmerie Brigade of Jabane. He as well communion with the troop of the Second Joint Military Region amidst a cross section of administrative, traditional and military officials, including the population of Jabane who listened to the traditional state address by the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Paul Biya on eve into the year 2024.

Following the Head of State’s end-of-year address, Minister Beti Assomo shared a common meal with the troops. This was to stimulate the troops in the execution of their republican duties as they crossed over to 2024 with more impetus and dedication.

Epaulets to promoted soldiers 

In the early hours of January 1, 2024, the defence minister awarded epaulets to some meritorious personnel promoted to higher ranks for the first semester of the 2024 budgetary year in the Ministry of Defence. 

Specificities of visited areas 

It should be noted that, these zones visited by Minister Joseph Beti Assomo on high instructions of the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces are areas prone to insecurity. 

Kidjimatari and Fotokol in the Far North Region are reputed expanses for the incursion by Boko Haram, Mamfe in the South West Region, once considered as one of the bastions of separatist activities, Kye-Ossi in South, which happens to be a border town whose economic potential can’t be ignored but also characterised by transborder criminality, Central African Republic where he visited the Cameroonian contingent serving under the banner of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission of the Central African Republic MINUSCA. 

There is also Tibati in the Adamawa Region alleged for transborder criminality, kidnapping for ransom, cattle theft and highway banditry, Dschang in the West Region considered a zone where separatist fighters from the North West Region are bent at infiltrating, Garoua-Boulai in the East Region, a border vicinity where rebels from the Central African Republic are still tussling to use the area as their settlement and the Bakassi peninsula noted for maritime piracy, drug and human trafficking, contraband goods and a lot more.

Since 2015, Beti Assomo has visited these once considered red zones as far as terrorist activities are concerned, coupled with other related threats. 

His mission from the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is communion with the troops, galvanise them and congratulate them for their commitment and bravery in the protection of persons, property and the territorial integrity. 

Bakassi peninsula, it should be noted, is made up of 33 villages with Jabane as one of them. Jabane is one of the five major settlements of Idabato Subdivision hosting a population of over 5,000 people. It is situated in the east of the headquarters of the Subdivision, sharing boundary with Idabato. 

The settlement hosts the seat of BIR Delta. This explains why Jabane has and is still benefiting much from the BIR Delta in terms of assistance; mainly in their civil-military actions.