Five Nigerian pastors were detained by Cameroonian authorities in the Idabato II community, previously part of the Bakassi Peninsula, following the abduction of a local government official earlier in October.
The pastors’ arrest is part of a broader crackdown by the Cameroonian government after armed men abducted the Divisional Officer of the area, Ewane Roland, on October 1, 2024.
The incident has heightened tensions in the region, which is home to a large number of Nigerian nationals. Local reports suggest that Roland, along with another council official, was kidnapped by gunmen who used a flying boat to escape into the coastal waters.
The abduction triggered a swift response from the Cameroonian government, which placed the blame on Nigerians residing in the area.
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Eniola Alabo, a former chairman of the Yoruba community in the defunct Bakassi Peninsula, spoke to Saturday PUNCH, recounting the tense atmosphere following the abduction.
“The Gendarmerie came to the community and started shooting sporadically into the air the day they arrested some of the Nigerians,” he said. Alabo, who now resides in Nigeria, explained that the raid caused widespread panic among the Nigerian residents of Idabato, many of whom rely on fishing for their livelihoods.
On October 8, the Governor of Cameroon’s South-West Region, Bernard Okalia, visited Idabato and imposed a total lockdown on the community, affecting thousands of Nigerians living there. Shops and churches were ordered to remain closed, and residents were given a 72-hour ultimatum to produce the abducted official.
Okalia’s statement was stern: “All shops are closed… the churches are closed till further notice. No exit, no entry in this whole Idabato.”
The lockdown had a crippling effect on the local population, as many were unable to carry out their daily activities, leading to food shortages and economic hardship.
Alabo confirmed that despite the orders, residents defied the lockdown to continue their fishing activities, which further angered the authorities.
In the following weeks, Cameroon deployed additional military personnel to the area, leading to further arrests, including that of the five pastors.
According to Alabo, the pastors—Adeleke Omoniye, Cascar Ubom, Etim Asuquo, Olamide Ayeye, and Umoh Atete—were taken by soldiers who raided the Assembly Church of God. The pastors were detained for allegedly defying orders to halt religious activities.
“Soldiers invaded the church, arrested the pastors, and took them to unknown locations,” Johnson, a local Nigerian leader, told newsmen.
The crackdown has caused considerable distress among the Nigerian community in Idabato, with many choosing to flee to neighboring Nigerian states like Akwa Ibom and Cross River.
The situation also claimed a life: Esther Okon, a Nigerian woman, died on October 20, 2024, after complications during childbirth. Her family was unable to transport her to a hospital in Nigeria due to the lockdown, which delayed medical intervention.
Amidst these crises, accusations of tax evasion have further strained relations between the Nigerian residents and Cameroonian authorities.
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Nigerians in the community have claimed they have paid the required taxes, but the authorities allege non-compliance.
Attempts to involve consular officials from both Nigeria and Cameroon have thus far been unsuccessful. Alabo revealed that efforts to reach the Cameroonian Consulate-General in Nigeria were met with closed doors.
Similarly, the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) directed the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claiming it was a diplomatic issue between the two countries.
