Bakassi peninsula: Suspected pirates kidnap Idabato DO, one other.

The disturbing development has been confirmed by the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, of Ndian, Gilbert Guibai Baldena. 

The confirmation is the content of a correspondence No. 098/HM/G40/C.72/SDO/ND, which the administrative authority addressed to the Nigerian Consul General to North West and South West Regions, H.E Ambassador Taofik Obasanjo Coker.

In the note, a copy of which The Guardian Post stumbled on, the SDO said the move is for the Nigerian envoy to the North West and South West Regions to take “possible action within the framework of cross-border cooperation”.

Guibai Baldena revealed that the DO and the council staff were kidnapped on the night of October 1, at about 2:15 a.m.

The SDO detailed that the act was committed by “unidentified armed group”.

The administrator said the armed men who were on board highspeed boats, headed towards Nigeria after committing the act. 

Guibai Baldena called on the Consul General to “take measures in communication with Nigerian authorities,” to secure the release of the two Cameroonians. 

Since the kidnapped of the Divisional Officer and the council staff, the population of the administrative unit have been living in fear of the unknown. 

A source who spoke to this reporter said locals, especially civil servants serving in the administrative unit, have been edgy since the incident. 

The kidnapped DO, it should be noted, has spent over seven years in the administrative unit. Idabato is host to the DELTA force of Cameroon’s elite force, the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR.

Bakassi Peninsula not new to attacks 

Pirate attacks, it should be recalled, have been recurrent in the entire Bakassi peninsula in recent years. 

Parts of the administrative unit have come under attack severally by gunmen said to be from neighbouring Nigeria. 

Few years back, armed men, believed to be members of the Nigerian pro-separatist group attacked a boat belonging to Cameroon. 

Gunmen had also attacked a border locality in Ndian, where they reportedly pulled down and carted away the Cameroon flag.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3247 of Wednesday October 02, 2024