Forest Zone Warfare : Training, Induction Centre Goes Operational

In the coming days, Cameroon’s defence and security forces will be better prepared to defend the country’s borders in forest areas notably in the East, North West, South West and South Regions. They will equally effectively and efficiently carry out security operations in Cameroon’s vast forest zone. All these will be thanks to the training and skills they will acquire at the Motcheboum Forest Zone Training and Warfare Induction Centre (CEAP) in Doumé Subdivision, Upper Nyong Division of the East Region.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo under heavy rains, presided at the inauguration ceremony of the Centre on August 23, 2019. He said the inauguration of the Centre showed the will of the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, President Paul Biya to strengthen the capacity of the army through their operational preparation, and improvement of living and working conditions of military personnel. The Centre, he further said, is an appropriate place, arranged and equipped in a special way to train soldiers with necessary combat skills in the forest zone. The Commander of CEAP, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Issiakou corroborated the Minister in his presentation. He said the Centre whose construction started in 2014 and finished in 2018, is built on 123 hectares of land offered by the local population. It is comprised among others of an administrative block, classrooms, infirmary, playgrounds, parking lot, helicopter site, dormitory, residences as well as combat and shooting sites. Defence Minister Beti Assomo disclosed that training to be given in the CEAP will complete that of the Training and Warfare Induction Centre in the Sahel zone already functional in Mindif in Mayo Kani Division of the Far North Region, while waiting for that of the mountain zones that is in an advanced stage of setting up in the West Region.

Special Inauguration Context

The Defence boss said it came within the context marked by the resurgence of threats by Boko Haram terrorist group in the Far North Region, the fight against armed groups in the Adamawa and East Regions, the activities of highway robbers, actions of armed poachers, fight against maritime piracy in the coastal part of the country and socio-political and security problems in the North West and South West Regions. It also came after Minister Beti Assomo chaired the inauguration ceremony of the Command Post of the La...