Senate to probe clashes between Nigeria/Cameroon border communities

By Christiana Ekpa and Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Senate, yesterday, mandated its committees on Police Affairs, National Security, to investigate the violent clashes between border communities in Nigeria and Cameroon, which resulted in loss of lives and property of innocent Nigerians.
The resolution to carry out the investigation was as a result of a point of order raised by Senator John Enoh (APC, Cross River Central), during the Thursday’s plenary.
He made personal explanation on the crisis between a community in his senatorial district and another community in the Republic of Cameroon.
Senator Enoh said that it was the duty of the Nigerian government to protect its citizens from internal and external aggression, lamenting that the affected people from his political jurisdiction had been abandoned to face operations from the Cameroonian aggressors.
“I rise to call attention to a very dire and serious security situation that is occurring in my senatorial district beteen the communities in cross and River and communities in cameroun.
“Last week, Nigerians from the community because of the complete breakdown of peace and security and the fight that occurred in these two communities, this crisis has taken international dimension, the porous nature of our borders, especially at that particular axis, is a great concern.
“The main reason why government exists is to protect people’s lives and property; I therefore, call on Nigerian authorities to increase security presence, there is still rising tension in that part of the country, and I call on the various arms of security to see how much help they can provide to ensure that the people in that area are protected”, the lawmaker stated.
In his remark, the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, stressed that it was the responsibility of government to provide adequate security at the borders and also ensure safety and security of the citizenry in the country..
He therefore, referred the matter to the Committees on Police Affairs, and Security and National Security, mandating them to carry out a thorough job on the reported border conflict and report back to the Senate for further legislative action.
It is our responsibility to ensure that adequate security is provided for our people along the borders; the chairman on Police Affairs, and National Security agencies should take this up and follow up and let us know the progress being made”.