Boko Haram Insurgence: Ndansi Sensitizes Border Community on Pre-emptive Measures

Sabongida village

Misaje, Cameroon—Ever since African leaders, meeting a a security summit in Paris declared war on the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram, elites and politicians especially from regions in Cameroon that share border with Nigeria, domicile of the Islamic sect, have been holding sensitization meetings to educate their masses on what to do incase of any Boko Haram suspects.

In line with the sensitization, Ndansi Elvis Nukam, National Youth President of the NUDP party also elite of the Misaje sub division has urged his kiths and keen in the border town of Sabongida, near Dumbu in the sub division that shares border with Bisola in the Taraba state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to immediately report strange people in their community to the police.

Ndansi was speaking as he sensitized youths of the border town on Friday June 13 in Sabongida.

“Sabongida is one of those villages in Misaje sub division that shares border with Bisola in Nigeria and I think that when a country is facing a security challenge like the Boko Haram, it is the responsibility of all elite to go to their communities and sensitize them”, he said adding that the sensitization was his own way of showing concern for his people.

Ndansi addressing

 “I realized that they know there is something called Boko Haram but they have not had any sensitization on what they should do or what they should expect”

The politician took time to explain to the population of the border village that Boko Haram is not a set of people clothed in green or white. But that their responsibility as villagers is that whenever they discover any strange person with strange character in their community or some one with strange luggage, they have the right to intercept the person and ask him where he is coming from and where he is going to.

Given that the nearest police post to the community is found in Dumbu, which is some few kilometers from Sabongida and accessible only by bike, Ndansi gave some financial assistance to the vigilante group of the community encouraging them that if such situations occur, they get a bike to Dumbu and report to the police.

Responding to questions from the villagers, Ndansi said “you people here have not done anything to Boko Haram, but unfortunately Boko Haram does not kill but those who have hurt them”.

He told the villagers that Boko Haram kills innocent people to attract attention from the authorities. He encouraged them not to live in fear but to ensure that any strange person or group of people in the community are reported to the police immediately.

Ndansi with vigilante group of Sabongida

Talking to this reporter after the sensitization campaign, the politician revealed that the border town of Sabongida in Misaje sub division needs more than just security concerns.

“Sabongida needs pipe born water, schools, health facilities and other social amenities that a border village like that should have”.

Ndansi regretted that he had programmed to do the same sensitization campaign in Abuenshie, another village in Ako sub division that shares border with Abong in the Taraba state of Nigeria but due to tight schedule, couldn’t be there.

“I still plan to make a visit there and talk to the youths of Abuenshie. It is very important to sensitize these young people on this phenomenon”.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi, special envoy to Sabongida.