Cameroon:Boko Haram Scare Prompts SW Region to beef-up security

                                   By Arrey Bate Arrey* 
The killing of Cameroonians by the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram,which is using all sorts of methods including suicide bombers is giving sleepless nights to the  Cameroon Government.

     As a consequence, the government is tightening -up security across the country so to minimize casualties in the face of the war by terrorist Boko Haram.

Last July 28, Bernard Okalia Bilai, Governor of South West Region, chaired an emergency security in his office in Buea,to adopt new preventive security strategies in the face of the terrorist attacks.

The Southwest region  of Cameroon shares a long porous boundary with Nigeria, where  Boko Haram is headquartered.

Gov. Okalia Bilai chairing the security meeting in Buea

     The security meeting was attended among others by MP’s, Government Delegates, security heads, administrators  such as the Divisional Officer(DO) for Buea ,Kouam Wokam Paul, the Mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick, the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako,Zang III, and  the Secretary- general at the Governor’s office, Clement Fon Ndikum

The Governor stressed the need for every body to ensure the security and safety of one another. Security agents were particularly told to be more vigilant, disciplined and committed, and to avoid harassing citizens in order to get more public collaboration.

     The security meeting came up with the following recommendations:

That at every motor park and travelling agency checking points will be erected at entrances for passengers to be toughly checked before boarding the their buses

       It was agreed that same measures will apply at the ports of Tiko, Bota and Idenau.

-That all the creeks be closed if they cannot be controlled by competent administrative authorities

-That night transportation is prohibited between 6pm and 6am at the ports of Tiko, Bota and Idenau

That trucks carrying goods must be controlled at departure points, sealed and exported from the ports of Tiko,Bota and Idenau

That at checkpoints, senior officials shall be put in place to oversee the activities of control and move round once in a while to carry out controls at these checkpoints.

-That information should be shared by various forces so that it can be well exploited

-That all public ceremonies have to be declared

-That all bars and drinking places have to be locked according to the rules and regulations in force, precisely not later than 9pm

-That all churches that make a lot of noise especially in the night will be locked up

-That censor shall be made of all motor-bike riders and their movement in the night shall be restricted - from 9pm to 6am

-That clandestine immigration is prohibited from the entire region.

-That there shall be a permanent follow up of the activities of the SCNC members

-That all vehicles abandoned along the road and public places shall be systematically carted away.

-That there shall be systematic control in all foreign communities

-That all children found wandering about shall be taken to the police and gendarmerie offices.

-That everyone must   know their neighbors and report suspicious persons to the police.

    The Governor concluded the meeting by calling on political leaders to continue public sensitization and the media to be more patriotic in performing their functions. The Governor was optimistic that if all the adopted measures were   applied, there would be a sigh of relief as Boko Haram would no longer be a factor of discussion in Cameroonian borders anymore.

 *Arrey Bate Arrey is a University of Buea  Journalism student on internship.