Cameroon, Nigeria Trans-border Security : New Ways Of Collaboration Mapped Out

Everything being equal, local bilateral security committees will be created in the border localities between Cameroon and Nigeria in no distant future. Officials of the two countries who met in Abuja, Nigeria from August 24 to early 26 within the framework of the 8th Session of the Cameroon-Nigeria Trans-border Security Committee suggested that once such committees are created, they would surely guarantee security given that the two peoples would better collaborate within such a structure to identify and shame trouble makers. 
This featured prominently among the many recommendations submitted for consideration by governments of the two neighbouring and friendly countries who share a lot in common. State and Regional Governors of the different areas in which Cameroon and Nigeria share the close to 2,000km border line equally created direct contacts so as to better communicate and handle some pressing peace and security issues without passing through their central governments. Tracking terrorists who pass for refugees, they said, would be easier in frank collaboration.
In effect, the four sub-committees and the Governor’s Forum in which participants of the Abuja come together worked came up with far-reaching recommendations to revitalise cooperation between the two countries and better tackle common challenges like terrorism, armed banditry, maritime piracy, trafficking of all sorts, agro-pastoral conflicts, hunting in reserves and parks along the border areas.
Experts of the Abuja forum also recommended that the two governments carry on life-changing socio-economic development projects in border localities susceptible to creating jobs and generating wealth for the population. Without justifying crime, they said ignorance and poverty render the population vulnerable to easily accepting the sometimes enticing promises of terrorists to enrol them into their gangs. Both countries were also encouraged to borrow a leaf from each other in best practices like establishing some international markets and social facilities notably; roads, markets, some skills acquisition centres, health centres like is the case in Nigeria’s Cross River State.   Drafting and executing overarching projects like the transnational Bamenda-Mamfe-Ekok-Enugu road was also encouraged to give people of border localities a feeling of belonging whose absence is often capitalised on by terrorists.
Appreciating experts from the two delegations for what he termed a job well done judging from the length and depth of the recommendations submitted for appraisal, the leader of Cameroon’s delegation, Territorial Administration Minister said the Abuja conclave was more than ever timely. Mr Atanga Nji Paul underlined that, “To eradicate trans-border insecurity in all its forms, or at least reduce it to its barest minimum, our security forces must intensify intelligence gathering and information sharing.” While wholeheartedly appreciat...