French
President Fancois Hollande yesterday accused Nigerian terrorists of kidnapping
French nationals in Cameroun.
President Fancois Hollande yesterday accused Nigerian terrorists of kidnapping
French nationals in Cameroun.
Seven French nationals, including three children, were abducted
by armed men on motorbikes from a Camroun border town and taken towards
Nigeria.
by armed men on motorbikes from a Camroun border town and taken towards
Nigeria.
They where taken from Dadanga village – less than 10 kilometres
from the Nigeria border.
from the Nigeria border.
The victims were likely returning from a trip to Cameroun’s Waza
National Park.
National Park.
The park is about 240 kilometres to the east of Maiduguri, a
stronghold of the extremist group Boko Haram.
stronghold of the extremist group Boko Haram.
“They have been taken by a terrorist group that we know and that
is in Nigeria,” Hollande told reporters during a visit to Greece.
is in Nigeria,” Hollande told reporters during a visit to Greece.
The seven tourists were abducted at around 7 a.m. in a village
about 10 km (six miles) from the Nigerian border near the Waza National Park
and Lake Chad in the extreme north of Cameroon where Westerners often go for
holidays.
about 10 km (six miles) from the Nigerian border near the Waza National Park
and Lake Chad in the extreme north of Cameroon where Westerners often go for
holidays.
It was the first case of foreigners being snatched in the mostly
Muslim north of Cameroon, a former French colony.
Muslim north of Cameroon, a former French colony.
“I see the hand of (Nigerian militants) Boko Haram in that part
of Cameroon. France is in Mali, and it will continue until its mission is
completed,” Hollande said.
of Cameroon. France is in Mali, and it will continue until its mission is
completed,” Hollande said.
France intervened in Mali last month when Islamist rebels, after
hijacking a rebellion by ethnic Tuareg MNLA separatists to seize control of the
north in the confusion following a military coup, pushed south towards the
capital Bamako.
hijacking a rebellion by ethnic Tuareg MNLA separatists to seize control of the
north in the confusion following a military coup, pushed south towards the
capital Bamako.
Hollande added that the captives were all members of the same
family.
family.
The were based in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde, working for “a
large energy company”, bfm television quoted Hollande as saying.
large energy company”, bfm television quoted Hollande as saying.
“They were (in Cameroon) for professional reasons, but they were
on a tourist trip” to the north of the country, he said.
on a tourist trip” to the north of the country, he said.
The French ambassador in Yaounde, Bruno Gain, said “no ransom
had been asked for”.
had been asked for”.
Boko Haram has waged an insurgency against Western lifestyles
and wants to impose Islamic law in Nigeria. They are believed to be responsible
for the killing of more than 1,400 people since 2009.
and wants to impose Islamic law in Nigeria. They are believed to be responsible
for the killing of more than 1,400 people since 2009.
An offshoot of the group, called Ansaru, claimed responsibility
for taking seven workers from a construction company’s offices in Jamaa’re,
Bauchi State, Nigeria at the weekend. The same group also claimed
responsibility for the kidnapping of a Frenchman in Nigeria last December, near
the Niger border.
for taking seven workers from a construction company’s offices in Jamaa’re,
Bauchi State, Nigeria at the weekend. The same group also claimed
responsibility for the kidnapping of a Frenchman in Nigeria last December, near
the Niger border.
Source:
The Nation
The Nation
