Nigerian Army troops stand new a near their new SINOTRUK lorry
THE GUARDIAN
16 August, 2012
WITH tension mounting in Bakassi Peninsula over the recent declaration of self independence, large number of Nigerian soldiers have been noticed
in Ikang community, the last Nigerian
border town to Cameroun in Cross River
State.
At Ikang, the large number of soldiers
was seen maintaining tight security on
the Nigerian side but details of their
operations were not given. But the Army Public Relations officer, Captain Joseph James, said Nigerian soldiers have always been at Ikang, so noticing their presence was not new and had nothing to do with the Bakassi issue.
He said for quite some time now oil
bunkerers have been operating at the
Ikang area and only recently soldiers
destroyed over 660 drums in the area. As a result of this, he said there was need to beef up security in the area to check activities of oil bunkering and other criminal activities.
Since the final handover of Bakassi to
Cameroun in 2008, Nigerian soldiers in
the Peninsula and Ikang had pulled out
completely but last year few soldiers
had returned and with the recent build
up, more of them were on ground at the community. On Tuesday, some officers from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army were in town holding meetings with some top government officials in the state under tight security and it was speculated that their presence may not be unconnected with current threats by the Bakassi Self Determination Front (BSDF) to attack Cameroun in the peninsula and the build of arms by Cameroun in the peninsula.
Reports posted online in one of the social media, Facebook, the Commander General of the BSDF stated that militants are in high spirit singing, “home my home o my home, when shall I see my home, when shall I see my native land, I will never forget my home!”
PEACE LETS KEEP THE PEACE
GEJ shud appeal d ICC judgement in other 2 end d dispute wit all legal means so no group can hav an excuse 4 violence
Nigerian armed force will be put 2 shame soon if care is not taken,mostly de army
Put to shame…Do u know what u are talking about giles?
@ giles, I have read a couple of your posts for a while, and have discovered that you make reckless, un-guided and not well thought out statements. I thought I’d let you know since you might be oblivious of the facts that your remarks, lives a huge question mark on how you are perceived by other people ( at least my point of view) reading your post. Keep an open mind and be objective even in criticism.
I think we should discuss on the ramifications if nigeria and cameroon go to war…. Based of french response, nigerian military and cameroon equipments, training amd so on…. I don’t think it will be too long before the two sides will pop shots at each other
Oga TIM
how now?. The reality even if one never says never is very SLIM for a lot of ECONOMIC and Military reasons and hopefully cooler heads will prevail
Economically this is not 1980-1990 Nigeria does at present buy dollar per item more military equipment from France than Cameroon does.This does not serve France interests
in anyway shape of form.Secondly the flag ship of French OIL exploration is Total they are heavily invested in (SUCCESSFULLY) OIL EXPLORATION em and bringing them on stream.
Miltary
Both countries have a lot to lose unlike what oga giles thinks this war does not benefit
cameroon (no this time around France WILL NOT COME TO HER AID)
Nor does it benefit Nigeria who would wind up spending NEEDLESS BILLIONS to
retake Bakassi and then hold on to it .Right now Nigeria is facing a host of issues
that are internal security related she does not need any more problems,
Cameroon MORE ALARMINGLY does not need ANY MORE WAHALA it is contending
with a southern separatist rebellion it does not need anymore problems do my brother let us cool this talk it SHOULD not happen.
I don’t agree oga jimmyhollyee…. There is a pact signed by france and the african countries she colonized…. A defence pact to come to the Aid… And I donmt think there is any equipment we bought from france that cameroon does not have….. And it is still war….. Both sides will always feel the slap and punch to the face… And the issue will always be like any region that has both countries sharing the same border with heavy lilitary presence on both sides… Pop shots at each other is a most
@tim, i concur with your comment,it will surely happen some day in the nearest future,the situation in Bakassi is a time-bomb waiting to explode!!!
Fellow patriots ,
I sincerely wish and pray that our dear country Nigeria does not go to war with Cameroun. None of the two countries will gain anything by fighting.
Defence pact or not, Nigeria is such a proud country that I wont be surprised to see her placing order for 3 Absaloms, 100 Leopards, and 3 Squadrons of Su 27/30 etc within one year of the war! Such is the pride of Nigeria. Competing demands or not, You will be shocked by how fast the string of the purse of FGN will just come loose.
In a short while, France (in spite of deployment of advance platforms like the Mistral helicopter carrier in the Gulf of Guinea) will not be able to cope with the public outcry back home, while Nigeria ( where public opinion doesn’t carry that much weight) will continue depleting her external reserved to procure Chinese, Indian and Russian made weapons to prosecute the war.
You will also be shocked at how fast the AFIT, DICON, Epe Rocket Research Center will come up with advance weapons that will at least devastate Cameroun if not the sea-based French forces.
Of course the proximity of our economic lifeline (petroleum infrastructures) to the theatre of war will make them vulnerable to attacks from Sea based and Land based platforms. But be sure that the US (who is becoming more dependent on Nigeria’s oil) UN, ECOWAS and other multilateral bodies will quickly prevail on both sides to sheath their swords.
Whose economy will recover first from such a foolish war is anybody’s guess.
Rather than engaging in a needless war, why not examine some of the following suggestions to which the patriots on this forum will definitely add more?
1) Hold a referendum ( to be supervised by the UN) asking the Bakassians to choose which country they want to belong?
2) If no 1 above is not acceptable, then let the Camerounian authority set up a special ministry/commission whose sole tasks will be to
A) integrate the Bakassians into the mainstream Camerounian society.
b) Accelerate infrastructural development of the area.
c) Make one of them a minister/governor or something. This will give them a sense of belonging.
d) Remove all signs of militarization of the peninsula as this makes them feel like the Palestinians in Gaza strip.
e) FGN should quickly settle the displaced people within Nigeria.
I believe that if a few of the above suggestions have been done already, this kind ugly situation wouldn’t have arisen in the first place.
Patriots, kindly add more suggestions to the ones above for I sincerely believe that those in authority read this forum.
The two countries should focus their energy/resources on attaining the MDG rather than fighting.
God bless Nigeria.
I concur sir…… I want to also use this medium to congratulate all the officers of the nigerian armed forces 55 regular combantant course…. On the extra bar of burden placed on their shoulder’s….. Hip hip hip…… Hurray
I good general will find a way to win a battle, a smart general will find a way to solve a dispute without even the blade of his sword shown…….
Gentleman, one rarely ever gets to choose the when’s, the where’s and the why’s ,when it comes to wars.
It tends to happen when it happens, ready or not.
This why it is wise for a nation to prepare for a multitude of likely scenarios. I said before, that while we are overwhelmingly focused on equipping NA to handle our current counterinsurgency threats, a conventional war which we are unprepared for, would present it’s self unannounced.
The francophone defence pact, is the most severe external threat to nigeria. This is because,
(1) It is a not so subtle reminder of the hegemonic tug of war between the french(west african interests), and nigeria’s natural dominance in the region.
(2) Regardless of french investments in nigeria, nigeria, presents such an irresistable low hanging fruit, ripe for the plucking.
Do you remember how elated the french and the UK were, when the usually dominant US, took a back seat role in the Libyan war, and let the old european powers shine ?
Since the nigerian armed forces, present even a less strategic threat to any french military expedition, than Libya did, the french might find it very appealing to teach a militarily weak nigeria, a very expensive miitary lesson.
It is true, that with NA’s armored,artillery units revived, the camerounians would be handily dealt with.
But the none existence of nigeria’s air & seapower, and the marginal difference in overall military prowess, makes it easy for a 3rd party like france, to even or tilt the military balance by proxy.
A few MANPADS, and milan hot anti tank missiles, would negate nigeria’s advantage in tanks, attack helicopters, attack jets etc.
As I have said many a time on this blog, nigeria’s chosen military weakness, would continue to present us as an attractive military target for foreign adventurers. Easy pickings and a low risk adventure for african, asian or european powers trying to strut their stuff.
True talk doziex,
“PEOPLE SLEEP PEACEFULLY IN THEIR BEDS AT NIGHTS ONLY BECAUSE ROUGH MEN STAND READY TO DO VIOLENCE ON THEIR BEHALF”–George Orwell
The Charles de Gaule battle group supported by a Mistral helicopter carrier in the Gulf of Guinea is enough to wreak havoc on Nigeria. We have no credible Air Defence system against any aircraft the French may field. The few BM-21 Stalin Organ, SA-7 MANPADS, and the ZSUs, AMX mounted Roland missiles will not even scratch the paints on their Rafale and Mirage.
No Air Superiority fighter to protect our skies.
No dedicated Radar Coverage for the country’s airspace that can detect boogies.
A barrage of Exocet MM-40 Block 3 missiles will lay waste all we hold dear.
Even Switzerland that has not engaged in any military activity for more than 500 years is better armed than Nigeria!
We were trying to tow the line of Costa Rica but we didn’t really make it official.
I’m so glad that things have started Lookin up.
God bless Nigeria.
I was trying to get more details about the franco-cameroonian defense pact when I came across this an article that has all I had in mind to post.
EXCERPTS:
Cameroon
does not have the territorial size.
demography, resources etc, of Nigeria.
Even if all the inhabitants of Nigeria
may not support going to war with
Cameroon at any given point in time,
the truth remains that more than 16
million of them have always believed
that Cameroon has always been a bad
neighbour. The 1981 killing of five
Nigerian naval patrol officers by
Cameroonian gendarmes is a good
reminder here. More than 16 million
Nigerians urged the Government of
Alhaji Shehu Shagari to reciprocate
the killing of the Nigerian naval
officers and even to go to war.
President Shagari refused to be
prevailed upon but simply compelled
Cameroon to apologise and pay
compensation to the bereaved
families. Thus, if Cameroon is
dreaming, she must also learn to see
more clearly at the same time.
Reason: in the event of any Nigeria-
Cameroon war. Cameroon will suffer
more than Nigeria will do and for
many obvious reasons.
First, contrary to the reports that
fighting between Nigeria and
Cameroon over the Bakassi “first
flared in 1994″, the truth is that the
year 1994 was the first time Nigeria
decided to respond militarily to
Cameroonian military incursions.
Before then, there was no fighting,
hence, we should not be talking about
the flaring up of the conflict. What
obtained before 1994 was that
Cameroonian gendarmes frequently
invaded Nigerian villages and always
ran back only to apologise thereafter.
So when Nigerians decided to meet
force with force, Cameroon, which
had refused until then to accept
international arbitration of the
dispute, ran to The Hague to seek the
intervention of the ICJ. Since then,
military hostilities have been
temporarily put at bay. The
implication is that Cameroonian
authorities are not in the good
position to assess the strength and
good will of their 16 million people in
relation to that of more than 100
million people of Nigeria.
Second. the strength and will of the
people of Cameroon might have been
informed by some expected help from
the Francophone world. especially,
France. This situation may not be
dismissed with a stroke of the pen, as
France has a special military
understanding with Cameroon.
However, the likelihood of France’s
preparedness to go to war with
Nigeria because of Cameroon is very
remote. Rather than invoke the
Franco-Cameroonian defense pact,
France encouraged Cameroon to go to
court in 1994. France has important
investments in both Cameroon and
Nigeria. In fact. Nigeria plays host to
more French investments than any
Francophone country in Africa.
French investments in the whole of
Francophone West Africa are not up
to French investments in Nigeria. For
France to accept a war between
Cameroon and Nigeria is also to
accept the destruction of her
investments in both countries. It is
also accepting the polarisation of
Francophone Africa. While some of
them will support France and
Cameroon, some of them will also be
compelled to stay by the side of
Nigeria for geo-political reasons. It
will be difficult for Niger Republic to
support Cameroon against Nigeria as
a landlocked country which has been
importing its foreign goods through
Nigeria. Even though Benin Republic
has generally voted against Nigeria’s
position at the United Nations, she has
also generally shared the same
position with Nigeria at the West
African level for reasons of their
contiguity and special border
communities. This division of the
African Francophones cannot be in
the interest of France. At a time the
French are trying tooth and nail to
make more Nigerians speak their
language, the likelihood of the French
accepting any disruption of the
gradual Frenchification of Nigeria is
very remote.
Third, Cameroon is currently a house
very divide against itself and the
likelihood of the division remaining so
for a long time to come is high.
Cameroon is a bilingual country:
Francophone and Anglophone
Cameroon. The Anglophones living
along the international frontiers with
Nigeria, have been complaining of
discriminatory policies and
marginalisation, and therefore have
been pressing for autonomy. In the
event of any war between Cameroon
and Nigeria, an opportunity for
physical separation of the English-
speaking Cameroonians from the
Francophones will be provided. An
opportunity will also be directly given
to Nigeria to actively support them.
Until now, the Nigerian government
has been hostile to the re-definition of
international frontiers of African
countries. With a war, the
Anglophone Cameroonians will find in
Nigeria a natural ally. In other words,
the good will and strength of the 16
million people of Cameroon will be, at
best, very relative.
END OF QUOTE
Gentlemen, it all makes sense, but EU & western foreign policies can be mercurial at times.
After years of sanctions, khaddafi decided to return to the “fold”, by doing every thing the western powers wanted of him.
He signed lucrative oil deals with UK, italian and french multinationals, and their interests, where not only strengthened, they were expanded.
Then came the arab spring, and inspite of Khaddafi’s good will to the west, and all the oil deals they were promised, they decided to take him out for “humanitarian reasons”. How comical.
By sighting the libyan story, I am trying to show that peugeot, ELF and TOTAL investments in nigeria does not give us immunity from a french attack.
DETERRENCE is the only guarantor that the french would stay clear of nigeria’s business in africa.
A potent wing of SU-30MK2′s like that of algeria, would give the french a moment of pause.
At the risk of getting embroiled in a real protracted war, in which some of her prized war ships WILL BE SUNK, they will definitely say to hell with bakassi and francophone africa as a whole.
Thank you OGA CHIDEZ for talking some sense OGA TIM I respectfully disagree completely with your opinion .In 1990 Nigeria was under SANCTIONS the reality was this despite some soldiers being CAPTURED , Nigeria still occupied Bakassi FOR 20 YEARS (1991-2010)
No despite your arguments TIM ( And I am familiar with them on this blog) French investments in Nigeria are more than the combined WEST AFRICAN FRANCOPHONE COUNTRIES COMBINED.
In any war money talks and b—–t walks
It is not in Nigeria’s interests to go to war with Cameroon nor is it in Cameroon’s interests either (LONG TERM Cameroon would lose more territory than just Bakssi and ( no FRANCE will not come to her aid if Cameroon provokes Nigeria) and NIGERIA would lose billions in dollars just to retake and hold onto it. This is the crux of my argument.There will be no war keep your powder dry.
Great debate going on here, people. Here is what I think..facts to bear in mind even as I am not advocating state-on-state military action against our booze-and-soccer loving neighbours.
* Discountenancing onshore production, new French offshore oil interests in Nigeria alone since 2000 include FPSO Akpo (175,000 bpd), FPSO Amenam-Kpono(125,000 bpd) and in 2012, FPSO Usan(180,000 bpd). Right there you have more in production than every drop produced in Gabon and all of West Africa by TOTAL and that from OFFSHORE Nigeria alone. That is more than the combined production by Sudan+South Sudan..think about it, all of that from offshore Nigeria alone. It is also more than six times the total production in Cameroon by ALL drillers, let alone TOTALFinaElf. You think the French do not know what is best for them?
* The value of French trade and investments in Nigeria supercedes the combined total for West Africa, Chad+Cameroon
* Unless the French do not know where their bread is buttered, it is practically impossible for France to please Cameroon at the expense of Nigeria.
* True, Nigeria first invaded Bakassi on 20th December 1993 when General Abacha ordered the battalion at Abak to move into the Bakassi Peninsula. Our people love spin myths but the fact remains that Cameroon APPEALED to the ICJ because it had lost the military initiative. 90% of the Bakassi Peninsula(nine of the ten wards bar Atabong East) was under the control of Nigerian troops – the exception stemming from the likelihood of collateral damage.
* Thus began a 15-year long military occupation of the 1,000 sq.km territory. In August 2008, pursuant to the Green Tea Agreement, Nigeria WITHDREW from the Bakassi Peninsula. It does not take a soothsayer to see that there cannot be any talk of a withdrawal unless the place had been under occupation in the first instance.
* Cameroon would be at great disadvantage in the event of any renewal of conflict
- moles within who are amenable to the Nigerian interest such as anglophone Cameroonian secessionist groups..SCNC and Bakassi guerrilla groups floated by Nigerians such as Bakassi Freedom Fighters, Africa Marine Commando, Bakassi Self Determination Front.
- In 2004, I recall having met two African dissidents at Abuja who were there on the goodwill of the FG. One of them was a SCNC member. During that year’s Constitutional Conference, I recall that the SCNC sought representation saying that the 1961 Plebiscite amounted to nullity and that, in what amounted to a throwback to 1960, that they are Nigerians who are trying to become Ambazonians.
- in that familiar littoral environment of Bakassi, the over 500% expansion of Nigerian littoral warfare assets since the 2008 pullout which outnumber Cameroon’s by a ratio of over 10:1 and vastly superior experience in riverline warfare plus the now miltarised Bakassi natives(which was not so in 1993-2008) puts Nigeria at a clear advantage IF we engage them like ECOMOG did with Kamajor militiamen. Cameroon’s case is not helped by the fact that over four-fifths of Bakassi residents are guaranteed to be disloyal.
Again, few people recall that way back in the mid-1990s and happening at the same time as the Bakassi occupation, 70000 Nigerians living on the Sahelian shores of the Lake Chad and whose ancestral lands had dried up on account of aridity, crossed over to the Cameroonian side of the Lake Chad drainage area and established 33 new settlements on Cameroonian soil.
When Cameroonian security forces tried to enforce the authority of the Cameroonian State, they were repelled by Nigerian soldiers who hoisted our flag over the territories. Between 1995 and the time of the border delimitation exercise, post-2002 ICJ ruling, that portion of Cameroonian territory was concurrently held onto by Nigerian soldiers.
QUOTE
http://ambazonia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=240&Itemid=1
” In 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague established a new border between Nigeria and Cameroon, in a bid to end a long-running territorial feud between them. The ruling also obliges Nigeria to hand over 33 villages in the north-east of the country, near Lake Chad.”
end of quote
Finally, Nigeria’s first action against Cameroon actually took place in May 1987 following General Babangida’s orders to Military Governors to take firm action against any Cameroonian infiltration and undue belligerence in their states.
In Borno State, troops of the Armoured Battalion at Bama attacked to reclaim sixteen border communities where Cameroonian forces had pitched their tents to collect taxes.
READ:
QUOTE
” Tensions along the frontier continued, however, and in May 1987, Cameroonian gendarmes allegedly occupied sixteen border villages in Borno State until repulsed by Nigerian Army units.
Lagos issued orders to state governors “to take military reprisals against any belligerent neighboring country,” and tension remained high until Babangida’s December visit to Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, yielded mutual pledges of steps to prevent a recurrence of border clashes, including joint border patrols. ”
end of quote
So we need to be careful about making a David and Goliath of the Cameroon-Nigeria contention. The truth remains that the actual military action has on the balance greatly favoured Nigeria.
Nobody appears to now remember that the Senior Divional Officer posted to Bakassi by Cameroon did not set foot on the Peninsula between 1995 and 2008 and only saw his area of jurisdiction on the day of the 2008 armistice. How so, you might ask?
If we need arms, let us buy arms but stop hyping up minnows. Cameroon cant square up to Nigeria even if they capture POWs once in a while. Why not, are they not soldiers? After all, every dog has its day.