Five Nigerian pastors and several residents in the Idabato II community of Cameroon, formerly the Bakassi Peninsula, have been arrested and detained by Cameroonian authorities following the abduction of the area’s Divisional Officer, Ewane Roland, by armed men in October 2024.
The Incident
Roland, along with another official, Etongo Ismaeil, was kidnapped on October 1, 2024, by gunmen using a flying boat in the coastal region. In response, the Cameroonian government accused Nigerians in the community of complicity, leading to a military crackdown.
Eniola Alabo, a former chairman of the Yoruba community in Bakassi, revealed the details during an interview with Saturday PUNCH. He stated that soldiers from the Gendarmerie stormed the community, firing sporadically and arresting several Nigerians, including notable residents such as Iseoluwa Eniola, Feran Ajimosun, and others.
Governor’s Lockdown
Cameroon’s South-West Governor, Bernard Okalia, imposed a total lockdown in Idabato on October 8, 2024. All shops, churches, and businesses were shut down, with residents given a 72-hour ultimatum to locate the missing official.
A video of the governor’s visit showed him announcing strict measures: “All shops are closed…the churches are closed till further notice. No exit, no entry in this whole Idabato.”
The lockdown, which lasted weeks, left the largely Nigerian community economically crippled. Fishermen, unable to work, faced severe hunger and frustration, forcing them to defy orders in early November to resume fishing.
Soldiers Crack Down on Defiance
The defiance angered Cameroonian authorities, who deployed soldiers on November 10 and 11, 2024, to enforce their directives. Reports indicated that the military fired into the air, causing injuries and widespread panic among Nigerians in the area.
Arrest of Nigerian Pastors
During the lockdown, churches remained closed. However, as activities began resuming, Nigerian pastors reopened churches for Sunday services. Soldiers raided the Assembly Church of God and arrested five pastors, identified as Adeleke Omoniye, Cascar Ubom, Etim Asuquo, Olamide Ayeye, and Umoh Atete.
According to Alabo, the pastors were detained for allegedly violating the lockdown orders, with reports indicating they were taken to unknown locations. While some sources later claimed the pastors had been released, there has been no confirmed sighting of them.
Nigerians Forced to Relocate
The ongoing crackdown has forced many Nigerians to flee Idabato, seeking refuge in neighboring communities in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in Nigeria.
“We are in panic,” said a Nigerian leader in the community, identified as Johnson for security reasons. “The Cameroonian authorities have made life unbearable for Nigerians in Idabato.”
The crisis has spotlighted the challenges faced by Nigerian residents in the Bakassi Peninsula, a region already fraught with tension since its handover to Cameroon following a 2002 International Court of Justice ruling.
