A group of Nigerian pastors has been detained by Cameroonian authorities following a crackdown in the Idabato II community, formerly part of the Bakassi Peninsula, after the kidnapping of a local official. The pastors, along with other Nigerians residing in the community, were arrested after a series of events tied to the abduction of the Divisional Officer, Ewane Roland, earlier in October.
Roland and fellow official Etongo Ismaeil were kidnapped on October 1, 2024, by armed men who used a flying boat to carry out the abduction in the coastal area. Following the incident, local media reported that the Cameroonian government blamed Nigerians in the area for the crime, leading to a military intervention in the community.
Eniola Alabo, a former chairman of the Yoruba community in the former Bakassi Peninsula, recounted the violent response by the Cameroonian authorities. “The Gendarmerie came to the community and started shooting sporadically into the air on the day they arrested some of these Nigerians,” Alabo said.
The raid, which took place after the kidnapping, led to the detention of several Nigerians, including Iseoluwa Eniola, Feran Ajimosun, and others. According to reports, the South-West Governor of Cameroon, Bernard Okalia, visited the community on October 8, 2024, and declared a total lockdown of the area, which is largely inhabited by Nigerian fishermen. Okalia also issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the community to produce Roland alive.
As a result of the lockdown, local Nigerians, many of whom depend on fishing for their livelihood, were left without work and faced severe food shortages. Despite the government’s orders, many defied the lockdown in early November 2024 and resumed their fishing activities to feed their families.
Alabo described the frustration of the community: “They stayed at home doing nothing for three weeks. The people were hungry because their source of livelihood was put on hold. They had to go out to eat.” This act of defiance angered the authorities, who responded by deploying soldiers to the area on November 10 and 11 to arrest Nigerians.
During the soldiers' raid, sporadic gunfire rang through the community, injuring several Nigerians. Churches were also shut down during the lockdown, but when locals resumed their activities, some places of worship, including the Assembly Church of God, reopened.
On Sunday, the Cameroonian military arrested several Nigerian pastors after they resumed church services. Among those detained were Adeleke Omoniye, Cascar Ubom, Etim Asuquo, Olamide Ayeye, and Umoh Atete. The pastors were taken to undisclosed locations by the soldiers, with their whereabouts remaining unknown.
The ongoing tensions and the arrests have further strained relations between the local Nigerian community and the Cameroonian authorities.
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