Yaounde – Camerounian authorities have beefed up security in and around Yaounde, the nation’s capital, ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day working visit to that country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Buhari is expected in Yaoundé on Wednesday for a meeting with President Paul Biya.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
The meeting will largely focus on regional cooperation to combat the Boko Haram terrorist group menace.
In Yaounde, NAN observed that there was random security checks on vehicles around the city, particularly those moving into government and public buildings.
Diplomatic vehicles going into government buildings were also not spared from the checks, contrary to Article 22 of the Vienna Convention which exempts vehicles with diplomatic number plates from such checks.
The Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroun, Amb. Hadiza Mustapha, told reporters that aside discussions on security, which was a predominant issue in the region, both presidents would deliberate on issues of bilateral relations between the two countries.
She said “these are issues at stake but the main discussion is up to the President’s to define the scope and the content.
“I know that President Buhari is very thankful for the help Cameroun has offered to our refugees. So, I will not be surprised if subjects like that come up.”
Mustapha condoled with the Cameroun government and families of those who lost their loved ones in the suicide bomb attack at Maroua in northern Cameroun at the weekend.
The attack killed at least 20 people and wounded 85 others.
The high commissioner condemned the heinous attack, which had been blamed on Boko Haram, saying that Nigeria would continue to stand in solidarity with Cameroun in her moment of grief and in the war against terrorism.
She said “both Nigeria and Cameroun recognise that regional and bilateral cooperation is needed in the fight against this common enemy.
“I want to reiterate that the activities of Boko Haram terrorists is completely un-Islamic and our people must be united in confronting this scourge.’’
NAN reports that the President’s visit is coming on the heels of similar trips to Niger and Chad to garner support from the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) member states and Benin in the fight against Boko Haram.
Heads of State and Government of LCBC also met in Abuja on June 11 and approved the deployment of national contingents to the MNJTF, under the operational command headquarters in N’Djamena by July 30.
At the Abuja meeting, the Heads of State reaffirmed that troops from Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger would sustain joint military operations to curb the menace of Boko Haram terrorists under the revamped MNJTF. (NAN)
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