Video of Seven French Nationals Abducted in Cameroon Appears on Youtube

 

A VIDEO has appeared on YouTube of seven kidnapped members of a French family with their abductors, who claim to be from Islamist extremist group Boko Haram and have demanded the release of prisoners.

The video that France's foreign minister called "terribly shocking" represented the first images of the family to emerge since their abduction in Cameroon on February 19.

The kidnappers, claiming to be from the Nigerian group, Boko Haram, say they carried out the abduction in part due to France's "war against Islam", apparently a reference to French military action in Mali.

The more than three-minute video shows the family, including four children, held in an undisclosed location, surrounded by at least three of the abductors whose faces are hidden. It was not clear when the video was made.

"If you want us to release these French citizens, quickly release all our women you are detaining," one of the abductors says in Arabic, addressing Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

He calls on Cameroon to release "our brothers".

At the start of the video, the father of the family reads a statement from a piece of paper, his four children in front of him, his wife and brother beside him.

Two of the abductors hold weapons and ammunition, while a banner with two rifles hangs behind them.

The family, with children aged five to 12, was kidnapped in the Northern Region of Cameroon along the border with Nigeria while visiting a national park.

Cameroon authorities said the family was taken over the border into Nigeria's restive northeast.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Marafa Writes Biya Again!!

Mr. President.

Mr. President remembers that every one that you have relived from their positions and send to jail will be looking to repay if not you then your children. I hope that you are seeing what is happening around the world to leaders that have suppressed their people for so long. Mr. President please in God and Allah name go in peace for the love our beloved country so that we as Cameroonian can continue to live in peace. To all our arm forces men and women please let the people have their say no force should be use against any Cameroonian because we are all going to be seeking for a better Cameroon.

I have being silence for some time now because of health issues but l want to assured the Cameroon people that l am very good health. Our time is just around the corner in the coming days, a very big news is coming out which will change the cause of Cameroon for years to come. I want to assure our brothers and sisters in north and south who are suffering because of lack of water and electricity that all their problems will be solve. We cannot suffer when we have abundant natural resources.

Long Live Cameroon in peace.

Marafa. H. Yaya

Monsieur le Président.

Monsieur le Président, se souvient que tous ceux qui vous avez revécu à partir de leurs positions et envoyez en prison cherchera à rembourser si pas vous, vos enfants. J'espère que vous voyez ce qui se passe dans le monde entier aux dirigeants qui ont supprimé leurs gens pour si longtemps. Monsieur le Président s'il vous plaît, au nom de Dieu et Allah aller en paix, pour l'amour notre pays bien-aimé afin que tant que camerounais, nous puissions continuer à vivre en paix. À tous nos bras forces hommes et femmes s'il vous plaît laissent les gens ne s'exprimer aucune force devrait être utilisé contre tout camerounais parce que nous allons tous à la recherche pour un meilleur Cameroun.

J'ai en silence pendant un certain temps maintenant, à cause de problèmes de santé mais vous voulez l assuré le peuple camerounais que l suis très bonne santé. Notre temps est juste autour du coin dans les prochains jours, une très grande nouvelle va sortir qui va changer la cause du Cameroun pour les années à venir. Je tiens à assurer à nos frères et sœurs dans le Nord et le sud qui souffrent à cause du manque d'eau et d'électricité que tous leurs problèmes seront régler. Nous ne pouvons souffrir quand nous avons des ressources naturelles abondantes.

Cameroun vivent en paix.
Marafa. H. Yaya

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Confusion, Rumours at Peak on Freedom of Kidnapped French Nationals in Cameroon

French medias reported today morning that the seven French nationals taken hostages by suspected members of Boko Haram on Tuesday in the extreme north of Cameroon were released in Nigeria. According to the report  the tourists were found in Nigeria along the border with Niger.

This family held against her will, was found by the Nigerian authorities in the town of Dikwa in the north. The hostages are unharmed and are in the hands of the Nigerian authorities sources say and were found abandoned in a house in the town of Dikwa, a senior officer of the Cameroonian army is quoted to have said. There are three adults and four children from the same family. Since the French intervention in northern Mali, the kidnapping of European citizens have become common in the continent. 
Yet Cameroon's Minister of Communication Issa Tchiroma has debunked information that the hostages have been released. Talking to French journalists today in Yaounde, Communication minister said the intensive search is going on and that security has been stepped up to ensure the safety of tourists visiting the Northern Regions of Cameroon.


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

SCNC Activits Arrested in Bamenda

The Vice Chairman of the Southern Cameroons National Council-SCNC Nfor Nfor has expressed fears that SCNC activists are targets for imminent arrests by forces of La Republique. Nfor Nfor made the statement after the arrest of Shey Alfred Sembe last Saturday, February 14, 2013. Shey Alfred Sembe was arrested along the Commercial Avenue in Bamenda after a successful rally of SCNC and SCAPO that was attended by some key personalities of Bamenda town in the North West Region. Sources say that after a successful rally at the Kumbo Squares a week ago, the SCNC scheduled the Bamenda rally which was to be followed by a Grand rally in Buea, the supposed Capital of the Southern Cameroons formerly the . It is reported that after the rally, Shey Alfred Sembe was making an announcement on a megaphone when some elements of the rapid intervention police, ESIR, swept on him, molested a journalist and whisked off Mr. Shey Alfred Sembe to the police station. Alfred Sembe was taken to the Legal Department to face charges this Tuesday, February 19, 2013. His lawyer, Barrister Fuh Fuh is following up the issue and we will be updating all on developments. However classified sources hinted that more SCNC activists are under surveillance which confirms fears that more could be arrested in the days ahead.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Bokam Haram Threat: France Orders It Citizens to Quit Northern Cameroon

Paris on Wednesday called on French nationals located in northern Cameroon to leave this area "as soon as possible", following the kidnapping of seven French tourists which is suspected to be an act of the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram. Seven French, including four children were kidnapped in northern Cameroon and their captors crossed the border and are now in neighboring Nigeria, Cameroonian government revealed on Tuesday.
French Minister of Foreign affairs is quoted to have said that French nationals who find themselves currently in the extreme north of Cameroon should quit the area as soon as possible. This is the first kidnapping of French since the beginning of the war launched by France, January 11, Mali to dislodge armed Islamic groups who occupied the north of the country.
"We believe this is the Boko Haram sect that carried out the abduction, but has not yet signed," said Wednesday the French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, dismissing a possible link with French intervention in Mali. Nigeria has not officially responded to the information on the presence of the kidnappers and their captives within its territory.
It should be recalled that French forces and Chadian launched a vast movement to rescue Mali. Sources say there is an increased vigilance of French nationals being or going to Chad, near the place of the kidnapping of seven French nationals and four children.

More broadly, "the border regions of Niger, southern Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic and the Lake Chad region is formally deprecated (red zone)," the ministry said.

On the other hand, President Paul Biya has also ordered intensification for the search of the French nationals kidnapped at Dabanga. Yaounde and Abuja sources hinted have launched a manhunt to locate the whereabout of the seven French nationals and the four children.

The Head of Joint Operations Centre at the Ministry of Defence, Colonel Eyebe Didier, assisted by the Head of the Communication Division of the Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant Colonel, Badjeck Didier gave a press conference at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Defence, Yaounde on February 20, 2013. The defence officials said Dabanga where the tourists were kidnapped by terrorists is along the Maroua-Kousseri highway, near the porous borders with Nigeria, stating that the act took place 30 metres away from the border.
And sources also hinted the tourists had no local guide with them. However government has assured the population that security measures have been intensified to ensure the safety of tourists in the Northern Regions of Cameroon

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Former PM Inoni Pleaded Not Guilty of Embezzlement Charges

 Former Prime Minister of Cameroon who was arrested and is currently detained has pleaded not guilty. Chief Inoni Ephraim who doubles as the Chief of Bakingili village in the South West Region of Cameroon made his first appearance in Court today February 20, 2013. Sources hinted that former Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic Jean Atangana Mebara, the General Manager of APM Otele Essomba also pleaded not guilty before the judges of the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde. They are accused of embezzling over 1.8 billion FCFA. Though the hearing was brief, sources say the matter has been adjourned to March 6, 2013. It should be recalled that former Prime Minister Inoni Ephraim is accused of having embezzled a total sum of $582,557 in 2003 at the time he was Prime Minister and at the same time assumed the position of Board chairman of APM, a position he later dumped. He was arrested on April 6, 2013 and had been in detention at the Kondegui Prison. His arrest is linked to the acquisition of the famous Albatross ( the Presidential Plane) that never was.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

World Bank Rural Electrification Program to Energize Donga Mantung

Courtesy of Globinet

The Member of Parliament for Nkambe/Ndu constituency, Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian has just announced that the electrification of some villages in Mbum land is now a reality. In various letters addressed to some Fons and Sub Chiefs of Ndu Sub Division and Nkambe Central, Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian states that the World Bank has approved the plea for the mighty project for the extension of electricity supply to some needy villages in Mbum land.
Hon. Awudu, in presenting the good news, calls on the traditional rulers to mobilize their subjects to be ready to do the final maximum sacrifice and collaborate with general labour when the time will come. He further adds that the project will be awarded to a contractor soonest. He also specified that beside the villages of Mbum land, the World Bank Rural Electrification project will also be extended to Dumbo passing through Misaje. The villages so far earmarked to benefit from this project in Mbum land include Ngarum II, Ntundip-Ntunge axis, Njirong, Mbarsey-Mbipgo-Mbongong, Nseh Makop, Chup and Kup.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Nollywood icon Justus Esiri passes on

VETERAN Nigerian actor Justus Esiri has passed away after a brief and undisclosed illness in a development that has sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry.

Regarded as a pioneer in the Nigerian acting industry, Esiri's career spans back to the 1960s and up until his death, he was still a leading Nollywood figure. He came to the limelight in the 1970s when he featured in the sitcom Village Headmaster where he played the headmaster and up until last year, was one of Nollywood's leading lights, featuring in films like the Assassin's Practise. 

Declared one of the strong men of the African film industry, Esiri attended Urohobo College, Warri and later went to Germany to study engineering where he developed an interest for theatre.  It was in Germany that he began his acting career and during one of his stage performances there he was spotted by a Nigerian delegation that subsequently invited him to perform in a government sponsored programme back home.

After his performance, he decided to remain in Nigeria. Esiri, who was proficient in German, has since acted in over 100 films and television productions including Forever, Things Fall Apart and recently Foreign Demon starring alongside Yvonne Chaka-Chaka. 

He was the only Nigerian male performing on stage in 1968/69 and also worked for the Voice of Nigeria German Service as a translator.  Justus is the father of popular Nigerian musician Dr Sid.

A regular visitor to the UK Justus was a member of the Nigerian caste of stars who attended the London 2012 Olympics, where he last spoke to Nigerian Watch. Details of what ailment he was suffering from are still being awaited.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa