Ex-Cameroonian minister arrested in Nigeria

Atangana Kouna, Cameroon’s former water and energy minister, has been arrested in Nigeria and extradited to Cameroon to face corruption charges.

Amid a crackdown on high-level corruption, Atangana was removed from his ministerial position during President Paul Biya’s March 2 cabinet reshuffle and was ordered not to leave the country in February.

“Atangana Kouna is in Cameroon. He was arrested in Nigeria and sent back to Cameroon. He arrived this evening,” Reuters quoted a police source as saying.

The former minister was reported to have arrived at the international airport in the capital Yaounde at 6:20 pm (1720 GMT) on Thursday and escorted by police officers.

However, there was speculation on Thursday that he was arrested as part of an anti-corruption drive known as Operation Sparrowhawk.

Also arrested as part of the operation on Monday were a former ministry of public works official, the head of a state company, and the ex-rector of the University of Douala.

Nigeria had said it would not be used as a staging post by any dissident to attack the Republic of Cameroon.

Mohammed Monguno, national security adviser, at the opening of the 6th session of Cameroon-Nigeria trans-border security committee meeting.

He spoke amid local and international outcry over the deportation by Nigeria of 47 Cameroonian Anglophone secessionist campaigners to Cameroon on 26 January.

Although the NSA did not address the issue, he said President Paul Biya and the entire people of Cameroon have the full backing of President Muhammadu Buhari in finding solution to the country’s internal crisis.