Boko Haram: Paul Biya supports members of the vigilance committee against terrorism in northern Cameroon

Fighting Boko Haram. This is the watchword.

It is Paul Biya the president of Cameroon who supports and sends donations to the SC members fighting Boko Haram in the north of the country.

The head of state of Cameroon, President Paul Biya, is working to support members of local vigilance and defence groups in Kousseri, in the Far-North region, all of whom work to repel incursions by the group Boko Haram jihadist

Special assistance and support was given to the Logone and Chari self-defence groups on Saturday, 17 August 2019 by Midjiyawa Bakary, governor of the Far North region. The authorities say the counter-terrorism package launched by the President of the Republic will strengthen the self-defence groups in the fight against terrorists from Boko Haram and that it is a recognition of the contributions made by self-defence groups to the fight against terrorism.

"It is the back-to-school period, and most of the members of the self-defence committees are parents, they leave all their daily activities to focus on protecting the national territory." That is why the head of state decided to grant this material and financial aid," the Far North governor told state media.

With rudimentary equipment, officials say self-defence groups managed to repel Boko Haram and terrorising the department of Logone and Chari. Some members of these groups even lost their lives in the defence of Caerun territory.

"Before congratulations, there is another mission that the Head of State has entrusted to them, that of promoting coexistence in the country,'' said Governor Bakary. said Governor Bakary.

The Head of State assistance programme, which is not the first of its kind, includes foodstuffs such as sacks of rice, maize and peanuts, as well as portable metal detectors, torches, telephones, spare parts for motorbikes and bicycles, mackintoshes and cabins.

The allocated sum of CFAF 05 million is part of the presidential allocation to the best defence group.

The rise of Boko Haram in Nigeria and its spread to other parts of the Lake Chad basin triggered the proliferation of various spontaneous community defence forces, also known as Cameroonian self-defence groups.

In response to the attacks of Boko Haramthe local population self-determined and refounded the indigenous self-defence groups that were effective for their survival, with the idea that they would be effective in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists.

At the peak of its activities Boko Haram Between 2009 and 2015, they attacked a number of targets, leaving death and destruction in their wake. These targets include churches, mosques, schools, universities, markets, police stations and even military installations. They have bombed places, killed and raped women, murdered children, taken hostages and occupied territories by force of arms.

But the brave Cameroonian forces rose up against this rampage and repelled the terrorists, which is why President Biya today encouraged local vigilante groups to integrate and cooperate with the security forces.