Yaounde, Cameroon —
Trade and maritime traffic between Cameroon and Nigeria plummeted this week after the governor of Cameroon ordered a temporary trade embargo on the Bakassi Peninsula on Wednesday in response to the abduction of two officials from the region.
According to Cameroon’s report, approximately 35 percent of Nigeria’s petroleum products and basic goods imported by Cameroon pass through the Nigerian peninsula. Nigeria also relies on Bakassi for most of its cocoa and fish imports from Cameroon.
Bakassi Mayor Kombo Abedimo Aboko Patrick told VOA that since the ban, thousands of traders have been unable to take their goods out of the area.
“All petroleum products come from Nigeria, even food products come from Nigeria,” he said. “Fish that is caught in our territorial waters is brought to Nigeria.Today, the fishermen, those who were trading legally, will suffer, but this suffering will bring us peace. If so, I think you should aim for that.”
Bernard Okaria Bilai, Governor of South West Cameroon, on Wednesday accused Nigerian armed suspects of abducting Divisional Officer (DO) Roland Ewein in Idabato district, threatening trade with Nigeria in the peninsula. and ordered the suspension of maritime activities.
“It is well established that the DO was kidnapped with the collusion of Idabato residents, 95% of whom are Nigerians who refuse to pay taxes,” Bilai added. “And when the DO once fought against illegal activities and demanded payment of taxes, he was attacked, kidnapped and taken to Nigeria. It is clear that he is now in Nigerian territory. He should be released.”
Bilai said Ewane was abducted along with Idabato district council official Ismael Etongo and taken to Nigeria by speedboat.
Nigeria ceded control of Bakassi to Cameroon in the early 2000s after a long legal battle in international tribunals. But Cameroon complains that most of the region’s 300,000 residents, most of them Nigerians, are refusing to pay taxes.
Merchants claim that Cameroon is sending troops to enforce tax payments, a claim denied by Cameroonian authorities.
Cameroon said it had written to Nigerian authorities to ensure the release of the two abducted officials.
Joseph Vincent Ntuda Ebode, an international security expert at the University of Yaounde Soa, told VOA by phone that it would help if merchants paid taxes to the Cameroonian government.
Paying taxes is a civic duty for all civilians, he said, adding that Bakassi needs schools, hospitals, markets and many other infrastructures that can be developed with the funds.
Nigerian merchants say they have not received goods from Bakassi in the past two days, indicating that the trade embargo is having an effect.
Nigeria has not commented on the abductions or the trade ban.
