From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
The House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to investigate the alleged killing of 97 Nigerians in the ceded Bakassi Peninsula by Cameroonian Gendarmes.
To this effect, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs was mandated to investigate the matter and report back to the House for further legislative action.
The mandate followed the adoption of a motion brought under matters of urgent national importance by Babatunde Kolawole
Kolawole in his lead debate on the motion titled: “Alleged killing of 97 Nigerians by Cameroonian Gendarmes” said parliament as representatives of the people must look into reports that came in last week, that 97 Nigerians were killed in Bakassi by Cameroonian Gendarmes because they could not afford a N100, 000 levy on each fishing boat.
“This is in spite of the clauses in the Green Tree Agreement signed between Nigerian and Cameroonian Governments, which protect our citizens in the ceded areas from harm.
“Apart from this recent attacks, there have been reports of harassment, rape and killings of Nigerians by the Gendarmes over the years with the Nigerian government seemingly doing little or nothing to stop it.
“If nothing is done to stop this ugly development, other Nigerian lives would be at stake as the Gendarmes may continue to kill Nigerians at will without fear of recriminations,” Kolawole said.
Members took turns to condemn the attitude of the Cameroonian Gendarmes, who they said have nothing to change the notion that they used excessive force against Nigerian citizens in the Bakassi region.
However, chairperson of the House Committee in Foreign Affairs, Nnena Elendu-Ukeje cautioned the lawmakers, saying that the issue was still in the realm of speculation.
The lawmaker said the House should investigate the issue before coming to a definitive conclusion.
Speaker, Yakubu Dogara subsequently referred the motion to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for further investigation.