Boko Haram Infiltration: Cameroon denies Nigeria crucial intelligence

Boko Haram Infiltration: Cameroon denies Nigeria crucial intelligence

In an apparent bid to prevent the continuous leakage of intelligence and crucial security information to Boko Haram that has been the bane of Nigeria  Army’s  fight against the Islamic terrorist group,  Cameroonian government had issued a directive to all its military commanders in charge of border areas with Nigeria to keep all critical information about Boko Haram away from Nigeria.

In the directive which was obtained by Punch, Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Mr. Rene Emmanuel Sadi, reportedly told the commanders to withhold crucial information about the insurgents from Nigeria.

Sadi, had in the letter with Decree no …G/D/MINATD, with the title, ‘Strong Message’ addressed to the Commander, Rapid Intervention Brigade, noted that Cameroon did not want the grave security situation in Nigeria to spill over to the country. He added that  information on Nigeria from western countries portrayed Nigeria in a negative manner and charged the Cameroonian forces to be vigilant along the border to prevent further spill over of Boko Haram violence into the country.

Boko Haram had infiltrated the high commands of the Nigeria Army and security agencies, which has led to the difficulty in curtailing the activities of the terrorists group. Nigeria Army is dominated by Muslims most of whom are either active Boko Haram members or sympathisers. Nigerian soldiers on various occasions had mutinied against their commanders who they allege are constantly giving out operational details and intelligence to the Jihadists, who in turn use it against the soldiers. Many Nigerian soldiers have either been captured or killed by Boko Haram, during ambush operation based on intelligence leak from the army.

Western forces helping Nigeria to fight Boko Haram have also taken the steps of not sharing intelligence with Nigeria security forces based on the complicity of the high commands of the Nigerian Army in the Boko Haram affair. Top commanders of Nigerian Army are currently being court-marshaled based on involvement such as selling weapons, military gears and intelligence to Boko Haram. 
The Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration stated that Mr. Paul Biya, the Cameroonian Head of State, had charged all the units to ensure that activities of the insurgents were not allowed to get into the country.

The letter read, “As you are aware of the security situation in the country, and the impending turmoil/danger coming from our neighbour, Nigeria, you must keep all important information regarding the Islamic sect under your control without sharing all the information with Nigerians.

“We do not want the situation from our neighbouring country to spill over to our country.

“Information from our Western friends portrays Nigeria negatively.”

Further investigations revealed that the Chief of Defence Staff of Cameroun had relocated to the North of the country to keep critical intelligence away from Nigeria.