A member of the House of Representatives representing Obanliku/Bekwarra/Obudu Federal Constituency, Hon. Peter Akpanke, has decried the attack and abduction of 31 people in Belegete community of Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State by Cameroon’s Ambazonian separatists.
In a statement on Friday issued by Akpanke, he described the attack as โhorrific,โ which he said had โleft him in bitterness, sadness and disappointment.โ
He lamented that the attackers abducted the clan head of Belegete community, HRH Chief Ogweshi Francis and 30 others, including women and children.
He therefore, called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to, as a matter of urgency, intervene by ordering relevant security agencies to mount posts across the border communities, to forestall more pains being inflicted on the peaceful Belegete community.
The lawmaker also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to swiftly provide vital assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
Narrating the ordeal of his people, Akpanke said: โI stand before you today with a heavy heart, filled with profound anger, bitterness, sadness and disappointment.
โOn the 5th of December, 2023, our peaceful community of Belegete was subjected to a horrific attack by suspected Ambazonian militants from the Republic of Cameroon.
โThese barbaric individuals held our people hostage for over 24 hours, inflicting pain and suffering through gun violence, physical assault, and the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.
โAs some of you may be aware, my parents, siblings and children of the Belegete extraction witnessed the saddest day of our existence recently when armed separatists from the Republic of The Cameroons whom have been named Ambazonians attacked the sleepy and peaceful community of Belegete.
โBelegete community is a Nigerian border village between Nigeria and Cameroon within the edges of the Obanliku plateau in the hinterland of the Obudu Mountain Resort.
โIt is located about 400 kilometres north of the Nigerian port city of Calabar. The community has been under siege by Ambazonian bandits since Tuesday 5th December 2023.
โThe bandits have continued to shoot sporadically, beating and carting away people and valuable property to their camp across the border river between Nigeria and Cameroon.
โAmong over 30 people abducted, is Chief Ogweshi Francis, the Clan Head of Belegete Clan.
โApart from those taken captive, several other men, women and children have been abused, injured and emotionally traumatised.โ
The lawmaker stated that the area where the barbaric and dastardly attack was being unleashed was the ancestral home of the Belegete people.
He said: โThey have inhabited the place for several centuries as law-abiding citizens of Nigeria.
โThey have lived peacefully and harmoniously with their far and near neighbours.
โThere is, therefore, no justification whatsoever for this external invasion on Nigeriaโs territory and the disruption of the life of her citizens.
โBeyond the plights brought upon the Belegete people, this unprovoked aggression is a frontal attack on the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
โThe Nigerian government needs to take an urgent and drastic action to forestall a repeat of what happened in the southern border where Nigeria lost part of its rich territory to Cameroon.
โIt should be treated as a case of once bitten, twice shy. The relevant security operatives have to rise to the occasion to ensure that the sovereignty of Nigeria is not tampered with.
โSecurity operatives must take drastic actions to secure the lives and property in the area.
โThese barbaric acts have continued for a long time till now, with our brothers and sisters subjected to pain and sufferings as well as destruction of their property.
โThese, alongside the abduction of our people and the life-threatening injuries inflicted on them with no support yet from the Federal Government leave one to wonder whether George Orwellโs Animal Farm is at play โ all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. Is that the case with Nigeria right now?โ
The federal parliamentarian said: โAs I speak, the Clan Head of that Community, Chief Ogweshi Francis is held hostage by armed separatists of another country and we as a Nation are not angered?
โIt must be noted that the Belegete community is very rich in natural resources like Uranium and Lithium and this is one of the major reasons that the Amazonian separatists from Cameroon attacked the community.
โThis act of aggression is not only a blatant disregard for human life and safety of fellow Nigerians but also a direct assault on the sovereignty of Nigeria.
โWe, as a nation, cannot tolerate such acts of impunity and must respond with the utmost seriousness and resolve to forestall its recurrence.
โIt is not the first time such has happened as we have seen from years past in some North Central and North Eastern States like Taraba and Adamawa.
โThe response to the crisis in Belegete, as it was in those areas has unfortunately been hampered by the lack of readily available access roads and communication infrastructure in this community.
โThis, has undoubtedly left the community feeling vulnerable and exposed.
โWhile the government works to improve the crucial infrastructure and mobilise resources necessary for human existence and security of lives and property, itโs important to remember the human cost of this delay and the fundamental rights of all citizens to feel safe and protected in our dear country Nigeria.
โTherefore, I demand immediate and decisive action from the Nigerian government.โ
Akpanke, therefore, called for deployment of adequate security personnel to Belegete and surrounding areas to ensure safety and security of the citizens as well as provision of immediate medical assistance to the injured and displaced.
The member of the House of Representative called for a thorough investigation into the attack and abduction of Belegete, with a view to bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.
โThe Construction of access roads and provision of communication infrastructure to improve the security and well-being of our border communities, especially in Cross River State, should be done immediately.
โThe recent tragedy in Belegete has highlighted the urgent need to bolster security along our borders.
โWe call on the Nigerian Border Patrol to take immediate action by establishing permanent security outposts across strategic locations.
โThese outposts, equipped with necessary resources and staffed with trained and fully armed personnel, will play a crucial role in deterring future incursions into Nigeria and ensuring the safety of our citizens in their various communities”, Akpanke said.
Source: Daily Independent