Boko Haram: Hope raised as Cameroon softpedals

Nigeria’s bid to end the Boko Haram insurgency is receiving a boost from Cameroon at the Paris summit, TheCable understands.

Nigerian authorities have often complained that the militants are launching attacks on the country from the neighbouring countries.

The country’s porous border has made it possible for the insurgents to move arms and ammunition as well as personnel into the north-eastern part of Nigeria.

The regional security summit in Paris, called by French President Francois Hollande, was intended to address cross-border co-operation in the fight against Boko Haram, who last month took hundreds of schoolgirls captive, thereby provoking global outrage.

Niger, Chad and Benin are also attending the summit and have shown readiness to work with Nigeria in the war against terror.

TheCable learnt that up until now, Cameroon has not shown any commitment towards helping Nigeria to fight the threat of insurgency.

But President Paul Biya is soft-pedalling and may now grant concessions to Nigeria, including allowing the country’s forces to carry out operations against the insurgents on Cameroonian soil.

A retired diplomat told TheCable. “Cameroon co-operated with Nigeria during the civil war but felt short-changed afterwards that Nigeria did not keep its own part of the bargain. This may explain why they have become nonchalant towards Nigeria.”

Nigeria, according to accounts that have since been disputed, promised to cede oil-rich Bakassi to Cameroon if the country co-operated with the federal forces to block all supply routes to eastern Nigeria which tried to secede by proclaiming the Republic of Biafra.

But Nigeria later laid claim to Bakassi and the dispute had to be settled in favour of Cameroon at the International Court of Justice based on some colonial maps.