Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State on Thursday disagreed with Senator Ali Ndume that the invasion of Nigerian territory in Taraba State by the separatist Ambazonian soldiers from Cameroon was mere border communal conflicts than threat to Nigeria territorial sovereignty.
The Taraba State Governor stated that the Ambazonian soldiers are well armed and are known for separatist agitation in Southern Cameroon. According to the governor, ‘they are a separatist group, the separatists are well armed, and when they kill, they run away.’
He noted that the gendarmes are not easy to handle by the ordinary people, saying that the military can handle them.
Governor Ishaku disclosed that Taraba State has large communities stretching the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. He, therefore, emphasised the need for military presence in border communities to protect the country’s sovereignty.
According to Governor Ishaku: “There is an absolute need that this our boundary must be manned by security agencies. The military, precisely, must man it.
“Because they are well armed, they are a separatist group, and when they kill, they run away.
“So, it is not an easy thing, it has to be the military to man the border.”
The Cameroonian gendarmes, the separatist Ambazonian soldiers, invaded Manga community in Taraba State, last Wednesday, killing the Village Head of Manga and 10 other victims.
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha had at Senate plenary on Wednesday raised alarm over threat Nigeria’s territorial integrity by the gendarmes from Cameroon, the separatist Ambazonian soldiers, advocating urgent military deployment to protect the border territory.