President Paul Biya Friday 21 May 2021 granted an over one hour high-level audience to the Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations of Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Unity Palace. Zubairu Dada, special envoy of President Muhamadou Buhari was bearer of a sealed message to the Cameroonian leader.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the audience by President Biya, 88, the senior Nigerian government official reaffirmed the existence of excellent bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries.
“I came here as a special envoy of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, to deliver a message. The content of that message is between brotherly presidents of Nigeria and Cameroon,” stated the envoy who noted that issues affecting one of the nation affects the other.
“Of course you know that we share so much in common. Apart from the fact that we have this artificial boundaries between us, we are actually the same people. Whatever affects Nigeria, affects Cameroon by extension and vice versa,” said the emissary.
Although the content of the message from Buhari to Biya was not disclosed, there are high speculations that issues relating to strengthening of corporation ties in tackling rising security challenges from separatist movements in the two countries as well as Boko Haram challenges in the Northern regions of both countries most have dominated the content of the sealed letter.
Political watchers have hinted that Buhari must have rushed an envoy to his Cameroonian counterpart following an announced formal and strategic military alliance with joint operations and training bases between leaders of two violent separatist movements in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Cho Ayaba, leader of the Ambazonia Governing Council, one of the separatist groups fighting for independence of the former British Southern Cameroons and Nnandi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a secessionist group that advocates for the creation of the independent country of Biafra in Nigeria announced the cooperation last April.
Observers have expressed fears that cooperation between the two groups can ignite violence and instability in the two countries and across the West and Central African regions where violent extremist organizations like Boko Haram are struggling to establish a strong foothold.
Before the formal alliance in which Cho Ayaba and Nnamdi Kanu appeared in a press conference, live-streamed on social media, factions of secessionist movements in Southeastern Nigeria and Cameroon have been gathering momentum, mobilizing supporters through social media, and clashing with government security forces in both countries for the past five years.
Many believe the letter from Buhari is to brief Biya on the stakes involve in the developments and how both countries can perfectly handle the threats from the separatist groups.
The Anglophone crisis which according to the UN has displaced over 700 000 and killed over 4000 is narrowly entering its fifth year. Several cosmetic solutions provided by the government of Cameron is still to quench the fighters who are gradually becoming more violent especially with the recent use of explosive devices in targeting state security forces.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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