Brigadier General EA Ngadi, Director of Defense Affairs at the Office of the National Security Advisor in Nigeria, said the ongoing socio-political upheavals in the northwestern and southwestern regions of Cameroon would not affect relations between the two countries.
He was speaking at the conference room in Yaoundé on Thursday 4 July 2019 during the opening ceremony of the 7th session of the Cameroon-Nigeria cross-border security committee.
"I emphasize that we will continue to monitor activities in the north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon and encourage the Cameroonian authorities to continue to involve all the injured parties in a constructive manner in order to defuse tensions in the region. English speaking regions.
"This will facilitate the return of Cameroonian refugees who crossed the border into Nigerian territory because of increased tension and apprehension.
" Nevertheless, I assure you that the current political upheavals in this region will not be allowed to affect our cordial relations, as we will continue to support your efforts to achieve lasting peace in the regions.
"We hope and believe that Cameroon will emerge from this challenge and other security challenges as a united country where peace, justice and prosperity will prevail."
Brigadier General EA Ngadi said Nigeria would continue to support the Republic of Cameroon's commitment to strengthen stability along its common borders with a view to putting in place effective monitoring and response mechanisms.
"It is also instructive that I appreciate the support of the Cameroonian authorities for the ongoing transnational counter-terrorism campaign as part of the multinational task force.
" We look forward to strengthening this collaboration as well as between our relevant agencies. in managing the difficulties of providing relief and humanitarian assistance to refugees and observing their human rights in cross-border security operations.
"Allow me to reassure you by making sure that we will focus more on creating a favorable economic environment and building infrastructure that will facilitate the creative potential of our people living in border communities."
The Director of Defense Affairs of the Office of the National Security Adviser in Nigeria stated that the two countries should therefore seek viable solutions to reduce the vulnerability inherent in their contiguous borders, which were exploited for organized cross-border crime, including terrorism. terrorism, the proliferation of small arms and terrorism.small arms and piracy.
"We must, in particular, seek to reduce the vulnerabilities inherent in our porous Boko Haram-ridden borders and the insurgency of the West African province under ISIS to perpetrate insecurity in the north. is Nigeria, on the border with Cameroon, so literally southeast of the states of our countries.
As part of the measures to alleviate the difficulties identified, we must invest in common capacities to address these similar concerns, "he said,
adding:" We need to encourage the sharing of information and intelligence for to successfully combat the threat of terrorism and other insurrections in order to ensure peace and security in our respective countries.
"I stress the need for us to continue to strengthen collective security and to further expand trade and investment, which is very important for creating a more stable economic environment for our two countries.
" The peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon must always bear in mind that we are not only neighbors, but that historically we are one family and are determined to deepen our peaceful coexistence and partnership. "
Source: camerounweb.com/cameroon-info.net