Nigerians in Bakassi petition Abuja over four detentions by Cameroonian authorities for tax offences

MEMBERS of the Kumbo Amunja community in the Idabato sub-division of Cameroon have asked Nigeria to help to secure the release of four Bakassi indigenes detained by the Cameroonian authorities over tax evasion.

 

Following the handing of Bakassi over to Cameroon, the local people are governed by Cameroonian law and have to pay its tax rates. Locals say the Cameroonians are over-taxing them and lamented the fact that despite paying an agreed tax of N27,500, four Nigerians, who had complied with the new rate, were arrested and detained by the Cameroon Divisional Office.

 

In a letter of appeal routed through the national coordinator of Bakassi Returnees and Displaced Nigerian Citizens in Ikang, the community said that the detained Nigerians were being detained by the Cameroonian divisional officer Major Etunko. Their letter was sent to the Nigerian Ministry of External Affairs in Abuja signed by two fishermen, Okon Etim and Augustine Edet, a woman leader and a former youth president of the community Mrs Ikow Bassey and Imoh Ukpa respectively.

 

They lamented that despite being made to pay over N600, 000 as tax, four Nigerians Bassey Utong, Ndong Ekpenyong, Asukwo Atteh and Joseph Isang had yet to be released. In the letter titled Report of malicious arrest of four Nigerians in Bakassi peninsula, appeal for urgent intervention, the community said it received information that the four detainees have been transferred to an unknown place.

 

“We want to state here that after the bilateral meeting, the southern divisional officer in Buah visited Bakassi in July and reduced the tax levy to N27,500 as against N100,000, which they asked us to pay before. Since then, all forms of protests stopped and the Nigerians in Bakassi started paying the new tax levy including the four Nigerians now detained," their letter read.

 

Foe Mitchell Atangana, Cameroon's consul in Nigeria, added: “I am aware of the development because I was informed by the office of the United Nations on Friday. I have sent someone to investigate and I have an appointment over the matter on Monday, so will have detailed information on it after the meeting.”

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