cameroonian Soldiers chase Nigerians out of Bakassi

The Cameroonian military has begun
cracking down on Nigerians in the Bakassi
peninsula suspected of evading taxes.
Cameroon gained total control of the
peninsula in August 2013, but most
inhabitants in the oil-rich area are Nigerians
“We don’t understand Cameroon’s tax
laws,” a provisions store owner, Stanley
Obi, told the Hausa service of the Voice of
America (VOA), adding that he has seen an
array of people seeking payments.
“At times, you see the council come to
collect theirs. After, the tax officers will
come, police will come; we are just
confused with the whole system,” Obi said.
Obi also said a curfew was imposed on the
peninsula last week following disputes
between businessmen and groups of tax
collectors.
Fresh fish retailer, Na Eric, said that ever
since Cameroon gained sovereignty over the
peninsula, Nigerians in Bakassi have
frequently been harassed by Cameroonian
soldiers.
“It is a means of killing our businesses,” he
said.
The governor of the southwest region in
which Bokassi is located, Bernard Okalia
Bilai, confirmed that his administration had
imposed a night curfew in the area, saying
the decision is to halt people coming from
Nigeria’s Cross River State following a
meeting held at which peninsula residents
complained that others were disrespecting
maritime borders, attacking the locals and
refusing to pay taxes.
“Nigerians must understand that Bakassi is
now a Cameroonian territory and whoever
lives there must submit to all national rules
and regulations, including paying taxes,”
the governor said.
Immediately after the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) ruling, tax collection in
Bakassi was suspended, but as of mid-
August 2013, residents had to start paying
their share.
The governor accused Nigerians of
disrespecting the ICJ ruling’s terms by
refusing to pay taxes.
In 2002, the ICJ ruling had awarded control
of the disputed Bakassi Peninsula to
Cameroon, and Nigeria eventually decided
not to appeal the ruling, sparking protests
from many Bakassi residents. And other
Nigerians.
In 2008, the ICJ gave Nigeria five years to
transition and cede control. As of August
2013, Nigerians – who constitute 90
percent of the peninsula’s population – had
to obtain residence permits and be treated
as foreign nationals.
Those who decided to become
Cameroonians had to acquire national
identity cards and respect Cameroon laws
The United Nations-backed Green Tree
Agreement of 2006 set terms of the
handover and one of the articles states that
there shall be no indiscriminate collection of
taxes within the Bakassi peninsula.

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