(Business in Cameroon) - Cameroonian navy arrested three trawlers in the South-West region of Cameroon on the night of August 8 to 9 this year, official sources reported. Presented as fishing boats, these trawlers from Nigeria were carrying war weapons. The thorough search also revealed significant amounts of money.

The 43 ship passengers are reportedly mercenaries recruited from Nigeria to support Anglophone separatists in Cameroon’s South-West and North-West regions.

For the record, the movement’s leader Sisuku Ayuk Tabe was arrested January 5 at Nera Hotel in Abuja (Nigeria), along with some of his mates, and is now awaiting trial. After the arrested persons were brought back to Cameroon, Nigeria committed to help preserve sovereignty and integrity of the Cameroonian territory, avoiding making Nigeria a rear base for the separatists.

However, to achieve this goal, both countries will have to better control their common 1500-kilometre border. On November 23, 2017, while meeting shippers, Handed Ali, Nigeria's Comptroller of Customs said the unrest in Cameroon increased illegal arms imports into Nigerian territory. Yet, the trawlers now arrested came from Nigeria to Cameroon.

Brice R. Mbodiam