By Anietie Akpan
Following escalated violence between Cameroonian forces and pro Biafra Separatist in Bakassi Peninsula, trade and maritime traffic between Cameroon and Nigeria in the area have been suspended temporarily.
Top sources told Pillar Today, that the Governor of Cameroon’s Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, ordered the suspension of trade and maritime activities with Nigeria in the peninsula because suspected gunmen from Nigeria believed be Biafra loyalists abducted Roland Ewane, the division officer (D.O.) of the Idabato district and one other official.
According to Bilai, Ewane was said to have been abducted alongside Ismael Etongo, an Idabato district council staff member, and taken to Nigeria in a speedboat,
Merchants in the Peninsula said Cameroon has deployed troops to enforce tax payments in the area even though Cameroon officials have denied.
Sources further disclosed that Cameroon has written to Nigerian authorities to help secure the release of the two abducted officials.
Findings by Pillar Today showed that as at the time of this report, the abducted Cameroon officials have not been released.
Sources close to the Biafra Nations League (BnL) said “there have been agitation for the Cameroonian government to withdraw from Bakassi and stop imposing illegal tax on our people”
Reacting, the Leader of BnL, Princewill Richards said, “more of this will happen if they don’t quit”.
Unconfirmed reports from Cameroon stated that about 35 percent of Nigeria’s petroleum products and basic commodities imported by Cameroon pass through the peninsula as Nigeria also depends on Bakassi for most of its cocoa and fish imports from Cameroon.