Tension gripped Danare community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State on Wednesday after armed Cameroonian soldiers reportedly entered the area and were confronted by local youths and women who accused them of encroaching on Nigerian territory.
Videos circulating on social media showed scores of residents challenging the heavily armed soldiers, who allegedly claimed the area fell within Cameroonian jurisdiction.
The situation nearly turned violent as the foreign troops reportedly fired several warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers, estimated to be more than 50 in number, advanced into the community with sophisticated weapons, prompting residents to block their movement and demand their immediate withdrawal.
The soldiers were also heard warning locals against recording their activities.
A former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. Cletus Obun, who represented the constituency, confirmed the incident, describing it as another in a series of incursions by Cameroonian forces into border communities in the state.
According to Obun, the soldiers fired repeatedly near a Catholic Church in Danare I, along the road leading to Budam, after youths resisted their advance into the community.
He blamed the recurring border disputes on what he described as Nigeria’s failure to adequately secure the area, alleging that Cameroon has continued to challenge aspects of the United Nations-backed border demarcation following the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the Bakassi Peninsula.
“Were it not for the vigilance of local youths, Cameroon would have occupied Danare,” Obun said, recalling a similar attempt in 2013 during the implementation of the ICJ judgment.
He further lamented that repeated appeals by community leaders, including former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, for a stronger security presence along the border had yielded little response.
Reacting to the development, the spokesperson for the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Major Yemi Sokoya, said the military was aware of the incident and would issue an official statement after reviewing the situation.
Also commenting, the Chairman of Boki Local Government Area, Mrs. Beatrice Etta Nyiam, confirmed receiving reports from residents regarding the alleged unauthorized entry of Cameroonian military personnel into Danare.
She assured residents that relevant security agencies and government authorities were handling the matter and urged the public to remain calm, law-abiding, and avoid actions capable of escalating tensions in the border community.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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