The Consul General of Nigeria to North West and South West Regions of Cameroon, Amb. Lawal Bappah, mni, in conjunction with HRM Chief Jonathan Thomas Eze Gburu Gburu, secured the release of thirteen (13) Nigerian inmates at Buea Central Prison, in the Southwest Region of the Republic of Cameroon, on Thursday, 27th July, 2023.

Chief Eze Gburu Gburu (One) of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo in Cameroon is a Nigerian business mogul and philanthropist in Cameroon.

His Excellency the Consul General paid a Consular visit to the Nigerian inmates on 14th June, 2023, and personally assessed the welfare needs of the Nigerian inmates. During the visit, he discovered that there were some Nigerian inmates who completed their jail terms but could not be released due to non-payment of fines.

Thereafter, he sought the intervention of the local authorities to ameliorate the living conditions of the inmates and possibly to secure the release of those who had completed their jail terms but not released as a result of their inability to pay their fines.

The Consul General also reached out to HRM Chief Thomas Eze Gburu Gburu, who has a long-standing record of releasing Nigerians, Cameroonians, as well as other African nationals on humanitarian grounds.

Chief Eze Gburu Gburu readily accepted to join hands with the Consulate to secure the release of the thirteen Nigerians. Subsequently, the Consulate General and HRM Eze Gburu Gburu cleared the fines for the release of the thirteen Nigerians and got them set free on Thursday, 27th July, 2023.

In the same vein, HRM Chief Eze Gburu Gburu 1 of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo in Cameroon and Ambassador of Peace, chose to solely extend hands of kindness to five (5) Cameroonians who were languishing in the prison as a result of non-payment of their fines.

As a result, a total of eighteen (18) prisoners, comprising 13 Nigerians and 5 Cameroonians, regained their freedom from the Buea Central Prison on 27th July, 2023.

In the remarks of His Excellency, the Consul General, during the ceremony at the Buea Central Prison, he reminded the ex-convicts that they were still loved by their families, friends and most importantly by Nigeria. Speaking further, he charged them to eschew criminality; start living responsibly, and also to be very useful to their respective communities. He charged them to guard their loins and engage in legitimate businesses to become profitable members of the society.

Amb. Lawal Bappah seized the opportunity to disclose that the Consulate had prepared the necessary travel documents and transport fares to enable the affected Nigerian nationals to travel back to Nigeria.

He rounded off his speech by expressing profound appreciation to HRM Chief Eze Gburu Gburu 1 of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo in Cameroon and Ambassador of Peace; the Southwest Regional Delegate for Prison as well as the Superintendent of Buea Central Prison, for their understanding and cooperation in making the historic event a reality.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Eze Gburu Gburu advised the ex-convicts to drop whatever grievances they might have had against any individuals and to start living new life. He urged them to avoid anything that could bring them back into the prison yard.

In furtherance of his speech, Chief Gburu Gburu opined that prison simply means correction. He stated that it is a school on its own and urged them to remember Nelson Mandela of South Africa, who was once a prisoner but one of the most celebrated world leaders today; even after his death. He ended his words of encouragement by asking the ex-conflicts to go and do good with their lives in their various communities.

While reacting to a question during a press interview, Chief Gburu Gburu stated that touching lives is what he lives for, and that is what he likes to be remembered for after leaving this world.

The ex-convicts thanked God for their freedom and expressed their heart felt gratitude to the Consul General of Nigeria and HRM Chief Gburu Gburu. They promised to desist from any forms of criminality that could land them in prison again.

Nigerian inmates released are: Edem Wisdom, Emeka Smith, Clement Okon, Eta Effiong, Ifiti Godpower Paul, Emmabong, Peter Kelechi, Emmanuel Thomas Akpan, Happy William, Elvis Effiong, Ady Etom George, Who Know Tomorrow and Silas Ekandem.

Cameroonian inmates released are: Akam Bernard Ojong, Peter Nganje Sambe, Agbor Ginola, Mbange Philip Moe, Eseme Salomon Moukwele

The Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has donated relief materials to over Five thousand (5 thousand) Nigerian refugees in Bakinjaw, Messanga Ekol and environs in Akwaya Sub-division, Manyu Division of South-West Region of the Republic of Cameroon.
 It could be recalled that in first week of April 2022, the Chief of Bakinjaw, H.R.H Linus Ukpam Agwa reported to the Consulate-General of Nigeria,Buea in the Southwest Region of Cameroon about the influx of over seven thousand (7,000) Nigerians who fled inter-tribal conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers from Kwande Local Government of Benue State, Nigeria into Bakinjaw, Messanga Ekol and environs.

These displaced Nigerian refugees included elderly men and women (some pregnant and children).
According to H.R.H Chief Agwa, the refugees were received on arrival by the community leaders and most of them were allowed to stay in village halls, churches and market places while others were accommodated by their relations within the communities.

Due to their huge numbers, the refugees had overwhelmed their host communities and therefore required urgent relief materials, including medications.

Having requested relief materials through the Consulate General of Nigeria, Buea on 5th April, 2022, the Consul-General of Nigeria to Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon, Ambassador Lawal Bappah, mni sponsored a team, comprising the President of Nigerian Union in Ekok, Cameroon, Chief Kalu Itam and the Union’s Secretary to Bakinjaw for on the spot assessment of the situation.

The team successfully undertook the assignment and confirmed the presence of about six thousand eight hundred and eleven (6,811) Nigerian refugees in Bakinjaw, Messanga Ekol and environs.

The Nigeria mission in Buea expedetiously forwarded its report to relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria and requested that immediate relief materials should be provided for the displaced Nigerians in Bakinjaw, Messanga Ekol and environs. As a result, the NEMA dispatched a two-man team, led by its Director of Relief and Rehabilitation to the Consul-General, Ambassador Lawal Bappah, mni to reassess the

requirements of the Nigerian refugees and to ascertain the best route to deliver the relief materials to them.

In response to the request, the Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed approved the recommendations for provision of the relief materials to the Nigerian refugees in Akwaya. 

The Consul-General had duly informed the Governor of the South West Region of Cameroon, H.E Bernard Okalia Bilai and the Divisional Officer in Akwaya about the decision by NEMA to deliver the relief materials to the refugees and requested necessary security cover and courtesies to be extended to all the persons and authorities that were to take part in the delivery and distribution of the relief materials to the victims.

In April 2023, NEMA dispatched three-trailer loads of relief materials from NEMA depot in Jos, Plateau State to Bakinjaw. 

The relief materials comprised food items such as bags of rice, beans, cartons of indomie noodles, sugar, milk, salt and non-food items like floor mats, clothing for women, men and children as well as first aid and basic medications.

The Consul-General, in collaboration with relevant host authorities, especially Chief Agwa, constituted a committee comprising representatives of the Consulate General, Buea, refugees and host communities to distribute the materials to the affected refugees. The medication was taken to medical centres for use of both the refugees and their host communities.

The distribution of the relief materials was a huge success. Majority of the refugees had expressed their gratitude for the support received as could be seen in the attached letter addressed to the Consul-General.

The breakdown of the relief materials according to available documents are as follows:
2000 bags of rice (50kg), 1000 bags of beans (50kg), 600 tins of powder milk, 592 cartons of milo, 1,000 bags of sugar, 1,000 children wears and clothes, 2,000 Women’s wears, 2,000 men’s wears, 1,000 pieces of nylon mats, 3,000 pieces of plastic plates, 1,000 pieces of plastic buckets, 3,000 pieces of plastic spoons, 3,000 pieces of mosquito nets, and 3,000 pieces of plastic cups.

Other listed donated items included 1,000 bags of salt, 100 cartons of indomie, 50 packs of oral rehydration salt, 50 packs of typhoid drugs (for adults), 20 packs of multivitamin tablets, 20 packs of typhoid drugs (for children), 20 packs of combatrin tablets, 20 packs of multivite syrups, 20 packs of glucose powder, 50 paracetamol syrups, 20 packs of paracetamol tablets, 20 packs of cough syrups (for children), 20 packs of cough syrups (for adults), 20 packs of vitamin C syrups, 20 packs of malaria drugs (for children) and 20 packs of malaria drugs (for adults).

The Consul General, Ambassador Bappah commanded the prompt and timely response of NEMA towards alleviating the plight of the affected victims.

« I want to thank the Federal Government of Nigeria for providing the relief materials to Nigerian refugees and their host communities in Bakinjaw, Messanga Ekol and environs, » said Lawal.

Ambassador Bappah also extended deepest gratitude to the Governor of the South West Region of the Republic of Cameroon, His Excellency, Bernard Okalia Bilal, the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) of Manyu Division, the Divisional Officer (DO) of Akwaya Sub-division as well as relevant community leaders and traditional authorities; especially Chief Agwa and the Forces of Law and Order in Akwaya Sub-division, for facilitating the delivery and distribution of the relief materials to the affected Nigerians.