Nigeria/Cameroon

Ten gunmen killed in attack over land handover

Article published on the 2008-07-25 Latest update 2008-07-25 08:42 TU

The Bakassi region.
(Source: afrol news)

Ten Nigerian gunmen were killed by Cameroonian troops after they attacked an outpost on the border Thursday morning, Cameroon’s defence minister said. Two Cameroonian soldiers were also killed in the assault, which was the latest in a series of attacks claimed by a little-known Nigerian rebel group that opposes the handover of land to Cameroon.

Eight of the attackers were captured and their motor boats and automatic weapons were seized, the minister said. The rebel group known as The Niger Delta Defense and Security Council (NDDSC)claimed, however, that only four of its men had been killed in the assault.

The NDDSC says it has carried out several attacks in the Bakassi border region between the two countries since November. This Nigerian region is due to be handed over to Cameroon in mid-August in compliance with a 2002 order from the International Court of Justice.

The handover is contested by some Nigerians, local fishermen among them. Nigeria was originally due to pull out of Bakassi in September 2004, but missed that and subsequent deadlines.