Monthly Archives: July 2018

9, July 2018

Tunisia: 9 police killed in attack ⁰

Nine members of Tunisia’s security forces were killed on Sunday in an attack in the west of the country close to the border with Algeria, state news agency TAP reported.

Militants present in rural parts of Tunisia occasionally target security forces, but Sunday’s toll was the highest since 2015, a year in which extremist militants carried out three major attacks.

The police unit from Gar Dimaou in the region of Jendouba was ambushed during a regular patrol, TAP reported.

“The terrorist attackers threw a grenade at the first security car and there were confrontations with firearms,” the report cited a security source as saying.

One of the Arab world’s most secular nations, Tunisia became a target for militants after being hailed as a beacon of democratic change with an uprising against autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

Some militants operate in remote areas near the border with Algeria, which has been fighting the remnants of a major extremist insurgency in the 1990s.

Two of the attacks in 2015 were against tourists, the first at a museum in Tunis and the second on a beach in Sousse. The third targeted presidential guards in the capital, killing 12.

All three attacks were claimed by Daesh.

Tourism, after collapsing, has since gradually recovered.

The government has maintained a state of emergency, allowing it greater powers in its attempts to dismantle militant networks.

(Source: Reuters)

9, July 2018

Bundes: SPD leader warns US envoy over talks with carmakers ⁰

Leader of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has slammed the new US envoy to Berlin for quietly engaging in talks with major German carmakers over a trade dispute between Washington and the European Union.

US Ambassador to Berlin Richard Grenell has reportedly been in talks with the heads of German carmakers such as BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen. He argues he is empowered by the US administration to work out a solution to the trade dispute.

Grenell, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, suggested a “zero tariff” solution, which requires both Berlin and Washington to lift all tariffs on automobile imports from their respective countries.

His closed-door talks, however, prompted a response from SPD leader Andrea Nahles, who said Germany is not “a banana republic.”

“That is news to me that ambassadors hold talks on such issues. What kind of an approach is it?” she said.

“If the US government wants to talk about tariffs with us, then this issue must be discussed between the US Secretary of Commerce and German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier. We are not some kind of banana republic!” Nahles added.

Trump hit the EU, Canada and Mexico with tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum at the start of June, ending exemptions that had been in place since March.

US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell

Washington currently imposes a 2.5 percent tariff on imported passenger cars from the EU and a 25 percent tariff on imported pickup trucks.

“If these Tariffs and Barriers are not soon broken down and removed, we will be placing a 20% Tariff on all of their cars coming into the US Build them here!” Trump said last month.

The EU also imposes a 10-percent tariff on imported US cars.

Not long after his arrival in Berlin in May, the US envoy prompted anger in Germany by calling on German companies via Twitter to “wind down operations in Iran immediately.”

The move was part of a broader policy taken by the Trump administration to convince European companies to voluntarily disengage with Iran after Washington pulled out from a 2015 landmark nuclear agreement.

Source: Presstv

9, July 2018

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Government steps up attacks ⁰

The Southern Cameroons crisis which seemed to have slowed down a few weeks ago has entered a new phase following the government’s decision to step up its attacks. The Yaoundé government is under enormous pressure from the international community that is urging it to find a swift and peaceful resolution.

But the hawks in the Yaoundé regime still hold that an all-out military assault will bring them the results they have been hankering after for close to two years. All measures and tricks by the Yaoundé regime have fallen flat on their faces, as Southern Cameroonians pool together to prove that they can make a ridicule of a government that only understands one language – an iron fist.

The government iron-fist approach has resulted in the attack of many villages and towns in the North-West and South-West regions of the country. These attacks have resulted in the killing and maiming of many innocent Southern Cameroonians who have nothing to do with the unfortunate political and military crisis that has been playing out in Cameroon, a country once considered as an oasis of peace in a desert of chaos.

Over the last weeks, government army soldiers have been raiding many villages in Manyu Division with a view to reducing the number of violent criminal gangs that have become a nightmare to army soldiers and even to some civilians who members of the armed groups consider as traitors.

There have been reports of young men having been killed by Southern Cameroonian fighters because they are suspected of being traitors. In Ndekwai, a small town located some ten kilometers from Mamfe, Marshal Ayuk was gunned down in front of his home. He was accused of working with government troops and betraying the revolution that has put the Yaoundé government in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Last week in Ossing, Mr. Lucas Ayukobi lost his son following a visit by some violent Southern Cameroonian fighters. He was gunned down point blank and this has drawn a lot of flak from many people who accuse the fighters for misusing their weapons. This is bringing a lot of pressure on the struggling Interim Government that appears to be losing control of many things.

Southern Cameroonian fighters are clearly engaging in summary executions and this is giving the revolution a very bad name. They are also offering the beleaguered government a reason to raid many towns and villages in Southern Cameroons. The government is quick to point to such atrocities and inhuman acts as a reason for it to mop up the country that is now awash with weapons and criminals who are using the revolution to extort money from unsuspecting civilians.

For more than two months, Manyu Division has witnessed some relative peace. Most of the fighting in the South-west region has been playing out in other Divisions of the region. Muyuka, Buea, Kumba and other small towns in the Southwest region have stolen the show from Manyu Division that has been termed as the graveyard of the Cameroon military.

It should be recalled that the very first killing of army soldiers during this conflict took place in Agborkem German, a small town on the banks of the Cross River that serves as the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. The killing of four army soldiers in Agborkem German was responsible for the country’s president, Paul Biya, to declare war on Southern Cameroonian fighters in Manyu Division.

The government felt that by declaring war on its own people, it will restore state authority that has been challenged by the killing of four army soldiers. But the declaration of war has turned out to be the government’s greatest undoing.

More than one thousand Southern Cameroonians have been sent to an early grave, while some 400 army soldiers have been killed in retaliation for their criminal acts in Southern Cameroons. And the number of atrocities and deaths has continued to rise as the government keeps on dilly dallying about the creation of the right conditions for the holding of the inclusive dialogue that the international community has called for.

The Southern Cameroons crisis that started as a simple strike by teachers and lawyers in October 2016 has gradually metamorphosed into a full blown civil war, making the independence of the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon a certainty, especially as there are targeted killings and huge refugees movements in and out of the country.

Ever since the crisis started, the country’s president, Paul Biya, also known as the owner of the country, has refused to listen to many respectable people across the world.

The Pope has had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Biya. Leaders of Western countries have advised him to pursue dialogue as a sure means out of the impasse. The African Union has once offered to mediate. But all their pleas seem to be falling on deaf ears.

The Francophonie, for its part, is still prepared to play a great role in efforts at restoring peace to the country, but the country’s authorities are reluctant to accept all these offers of assistance and this is causing the situation to spiral out of control.

Mr. Biya and his collaborators have clearly opted to pursue a path that is causing the country to lose its youthful population. They seem to be frozen in time and their strong faith in old ways is putting the country in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Across the country, some religious authorities have also called on the government to embrace dialogue in order to spare the country the agony it is going through. But all the wise counsel does not seem to be music to the government’s ears.

Mr. Biya is intent on destroying the country before he leaves this world. His total refusal of outside help to restore peace to the country is costing Cameroon a lot. Increased military action has disrupted the people’s life and the burning and destruction of many homes, has left many Southern Cameroonians homeless and desperate.

But it is the economy that is suffering the most. State corporations located in Southern Cameroons are already feeling the heat. Pamol, a palm oil production corporation located in Lobe, a small town in Ndian Division, has finally shut its doors as the fighting between Southern Cameroonian fighters and army soldiers takes a turn for the worse.

More than three thousand Pamol workers are today unemployed and living in permanent fear, as the fighting between the warring factions rages on. Schools and courts in the region have been closed for more than two years and it is increasingly obvious that the Yaoundé government has lost control of certain parts of the two English-speaking regions.

The Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), one of the major employers in the region, is also going through a rough patch. Malende, a small town located some 6 km from Muyuka, has witnessed huge unemployment rates. The corporation’s rubber factory was set ablaze last week by some unidentified men and this has hit CDC like a ton of bricks.

In other plantations, many workers have simply deserted. The fighting is disrupting economic activities in those plantations and many workers hold that it is better to quit than to be caught up between the devil and the deep blue sea. The fighting, coupled with the derisory salaries the corporation pays to its workers, has made CDC unattractive and this is gradually eroding the government’s tax base.

Similarly, government revenue has taken a nosedive, as the national oil refinery located in the Southwest region is also facing some major challenges. The crisis is a true nightmare to this once-upon-a-time oasis of peace. It is indeed a millstone around the neck of the government which is gradually collapsing under its weight.

While the government is putting on a brave face in public, it is indeed worried that Southern Cameroonians might walk away from the union that was stitched together in 1972 between West and East Cameroon. Southern Cameroonians hold that the union has been predicated upon lies right from the beginning and that a review of the system is long overdue.

Southern Cameroonians stress that much blood has already flowed and this makes it hard for the warring factions to sit around a negotiating table to narrow their differences. The killing of many Southern Cameroonians and the burning of their homes have left Southern Cameroonians with just the option of quitting their French-speaking counterparts.

Walking away from that ‘political marriage’ implies taking with them about 60% of the country’s wealth. Southern Cameroons is blessed with many resources, including oil, gas, diamond and timber. Its rich sub-soil has brought lots of economic benefits to the country. For almost 50 years, the Rio Del Rey estuary has been the source of more than 90% and at times 100% of all the country’s hydrocarbons, specifically oil.

In 2014, Cameroon exported US$5.88 billion worth of products, of which US$2.65 billion, about CFAF 1,650 billion, was from crude oil. This is a significant amount of money and no government can afford to stay on the sidelines and watch manna vanish into thin air.

But the government’s indifference to calls for an inclusive dialogue is giving secessionists more confidence and time to spread their gospel. The government’s military action has transformed it into a monster and this has pushed the civilian population into the arms of secessionists who are making hay while the sun shines.

The secessionists have worked hard to win hearts and minds among Southern Cameroonian moderates who, right from the beginning, stood for a federal system that would give the regions greater autonomy and authority over their lives. But the delay to talk to Southern Cameroons leaders, many of whom are in jail or exile, is compounding instead of helping matters.

The radicals have taken their gospel of secession to the international community and there is a significant crowd that is listening to their gospel with rapt attention. If secession were to happen today, it would be a very costly mistake on the part of the government that is being accused around the world of being indifferent to the country’s declining political and economic situation.

Every nation’s economic progress and development depend on its political stability. Instability spells doom for a country’s prosperity and prolong periods of instability could be a death sentence on many investments and investors do not like uncertainty. Allowing the Southern Cameroons crisis to fester is tantamount to committing economic and political suicide.

The government’s military action has put the economy on a tailspin. The South-West region which has been the country’s bread basket is today a no-go area. Many small businesses have been dealt a big blow by the crisis. Businesspeople both in French-speaking and English-speaking Cameroon are feeling the pinch. The crisis has robbed them of their source of livelihood and this has created enormous fear in the country.

If Cameroon has to heal, the Yaoundé government has to change its approach. Burning houses and stepping up military action will surely not address the issues. The government is supposed to understand that at this stage dialogue is the answer. Southern Cameroonians are determined. Though they may be having some internal conflicts, they understand that they have a common enemy and this has been the glue that has held them together for close to two years.

The government of Cameroon has to look into the mirror of history to understand how other countries came out of their conflicts with their minorities. Canada and Spain hold solutions that might inspire the Cameroon government. There are many ways of addressing political conflicts. Sticking to a strategy that has only made things worse will surely not help the Yaoundé government to lay to rest this crisis that has given it a very bad name.

Today, many Southern Cameroonians are living in the jungles. The bitterness stemming from living a dangerous life might push many of those innocent civilians to join the fighters and this will only cause the conflict to drag on for many years.

Cameroon is really facing a bleak future. Its economy is going south. It has been caught in a downward political spiral and it is finally going the way of other countries in the region. The government has failed to understand that it is also possible to catch flies with honey. Its military action has really threatened national unity and it will take a lot of effort to get all the warring factions to the negotiating table.

However, where there is a will, there will always be a way. Instead of taking unpopular measures, it will be necessary to make some meaningful concessions so as to appease Southern Cameroonians who are determined to walk away. The pain will linger for a very long time, but great political and social measures may help to heal the wounds. It is time to change strategies and tactics. Cameroon is bleeding. Further military action may simply break the country into two. The ball is in the government’s court. And the world is watching.

By Kingsley Betek on assignment in North America with contributions from Irene Nanyongo

8, July 2018

Bamenda: Archbishop Esua tenders resignation letter to Pope ⁰

The Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bamenda, His Grace Cornelius Fontem Esua, has tendered his resignation letter to the Pontiff, His Holiness Pope Francis.

The Prelate handed over his resignation letter to Pope Francis in prelude to his 75^th anniversary. Speaking to reporters on Monday, July 2, 2018, at the St Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral, Big Mankon, Bamenda, during the commemoration of the 75th anniversary on earth and his 35^th anniversary of his episcopacy, Mgr. Fontem Esua said his decision is in tandem with the Canon Law.

“Take note that, according to the Cannon Law, when a Bishop reaches the age of 75, he tenders his resignation to the Pope so that the Pope should find some other person to take over from him, and I have done so already and I am waiting for the time when the Pope will appoint some other Bishop to take over from me,” he said.

He said even though he is due retirement, he is still the Chief Shepherd of Bamenda Archdiocese.

“I am still due retirement; that is, getting to the age of retirement. I am retired but not tired. From the inspiration I have, I will continue to serve the church as I have been doing. As long as the Pope has not appointed anybody else yet, I remain the Archbishop of Bamenda,” he averred.

Meanwhile, the Archbishop used the dual celebrations to apologise to those he has hurt in the course of shepherding God’s flock.

Source: Journal du Cameroun

8, July 2018

Worsening Southern Cameroons Crisis Highlights Need for Dialogue and Inclusion ⁰

Though Boko Haram’s lethality and tactical innovation, al-Shabaab’s resilience, and the brokering of partnerships by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) have rightfully dominated analysis of political violence in Africa, other situations are also increasingly relevant for those concerned with political violence in Africa. With the escalation of the crisis in Anglophone Cameroon and the October general elections presenting a risk of further increased tensions, the evolution of the country’s conflict and its implications for political violence across the continent is worth noting.

Much can be learned about conflict escalation from the Cameroonian government’s reaction to the calls of Anglophone activists, which has pushed the country towards violent conflict and has made the prospects for peaceful dialogue ever dimmer. The Cameroonian government, historically, has not effectively integrated and engaged its Anglophone population through inclusive governance practices. And since protests erupted nearly two years ago, the Biya administration has not seem inclined to engage in peaceful dialogue to draw down the crisis. Taken together, these suggest that the scale of the conflict, and its lethality, are likely to escalate.

Origins of the Crisis

The origin of friction between Anglophone and Francophone populations in Cameroon can be traced back to the colonial era. Originally under German rule, Cameroon was partitioned between the French and British into two territories, both governed as trusts. Anglophone and Francophone Cameroonians were unified under a federal system in 1961 after a plebiscite was held in which voters were given a choice to join either Nigeria or Cameroon. It is worth mentioning that, among Anglophone Cameroonians, nearly 60 percent of Anglophones in the majority-Muslim northern region voted to join Nigeria, while roughly 70 percent of Anglophones in the majority-Christian southern region voted to join Cameroon.

In 1972, under President Ahmadou Ahidjo, the federal system was discarded in favor of a united, bilingual republic. To this day, however, Anglophone regions are governed by Common Law, whereas the rest of the country is governed by a civil code. Debates over the extent to which the country is dominated by Francophones, what sub-national authorities that the two Anglophone regions should be granted, and various cultural matters, have resulted in a proliferation of Anglophone activist groups and general politicking around the issue. Groups that may seem at face value to be apolitical—including teachers’ unions and legal associations—have taken up Anglophone issues as a part of political campaigns.

Anglophones currently make up roughly 20 percent of the country’s population and are undeniably under-represented in President Paul Biya’s government. Since taking power in 1982, less than 11 percent of the ministers appointed by Biya have been Anglophones. At present, just three of the 33 generals in the country and six of the 63-person cabinet members are Anglophones. Even within Anglophone districts, government jobs are often given to Francophone appointees.

Escalation of the Crisis

Though longstanding, the conflict between Anglophone and Francophone Cameroonians took a lethal turn in 2016 when widespread, peaceful protests and strikes emerged. Media reports focused on the role of Common Law lawyers advocating to abandon the Cameroonian Bar Association. Other groups, including the country’s teachers, then joined the protests. After weeks of strikes, gendarmes used tear gas against protesters. Shortly thereafter, four people were killed in clashes with security forces during a protest in Bamenda that arose after the Cameroon Teacher’s Trade Union called for a strike. Reports also emerged in late November of sexual violence against students at the University of Buea by Cameroonian security forces.

As the protests continued, the Biya government also began detaining and arresting Anglophone activists and journalists and shutting down newspapers and radio stations. Beginning in January 2017 the government cut or greatly slowed down internet services in Anglophone regions. The internet shutdown ended up being one of the longest recorded in sub-Saharan Africa, lasting just under 100 days. The shutdown was economically harmful—given the region’s reputation as “silicon mountain”—and also hamstrung efforts to keep track of events in the region.

At the same time, the government also engaged in some conciliatory measures. A National Commission on the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism was established and was accompanied in short order by the “appointing [of] Anglophone magistrates and bilingual teachers, and [the] releasing from prison some Anglophone civil society leaders and activists.” According to Amnesty International, however, “these moves were viewed by the Anglophone movements as being too limited,” and the protests continued.

The groups that have emerged to advance Anglophone rights have advocated different means and different ends. The vast majority of Anglophone activists advocate for peaceful resolution of the conflict, but as government repression has intensified, groups who advocate secession, or worse, violence, have become more significant. Some groups advocate for more federalism, while others call for secession and the establishment of an independent state called “Ambazonia.” A number of armed separatist groups also formed an umbrella organization, the Ambazonia Recognition Collaboration Council (ARCC), claiming to have thousands of fighters.

Through the spring and summer of 2017, however, Anglophone protesters steadily escalated their tactics. Over this period, at least 42 schools and a number of market stalls in Anglophone Cameroon were burned down. A recent report catalogued a number of instances in which Anglophone separatists targeted civilians who did not engage in the demonstrations. The Biya government imposed curfews and increased the security sector’s presence in the region in response. Despite this, Anglophone separatists declared independence on October 1, 2017; in clashes with the state security forces that day, reports indicated that at least a dozen people were killed and 40 arrested.

By November 2017, separatists were making attacks on the government more frequently and brazenly. In the Northwest province, for example, they began targeting police with homemade explosive devices. The Biya government stepped up its repression and arrests, labeled the separatists “terrorists” by comparing them to Boko Haram, and declared war on them.

Actions taken by armed separatist groups and the government continued to worsen. Separatists are suspected to have kidnapped nine employees of a construction firm and in response to the arrest and repatriation of Anglophone activists that fled to Nigeria, an armed separatist group called the Ambazonian Defence Force (ADF) began abducting government officials. Soon thereafter, a Tunisian national living in Cameroon was abducted and killed, after which the government organized a rescue mission to release 18 hostages, including 12 Europeans. Just this May, a radio journalist and Anglophone activist, Mancho Bibixy, was sentenced to 15 years in prison under the country’s anti-terrorism law in a military court. Four journalists had previously been held under the act until President Biya issued a presidential decree for their release. Bibixy’s conviction has prompted speculation about what sentences could be handed down to the other detained activists and journalists.

Throughout this escalation, more than 20,000 people have fled the country for neighboring Nigeria and an estimated 150,000 have been internally displaced. The escalation has transformed a generally peaceful, albeit contentious, debate over the extent and nature of federalism in modern Cameroon into a violent, potentially-existential crisis over the future of the Cameroonian state.

What Lies Ahead?

Though a number of the characteristics of this conflict are specific to Cameroon, the events of the past few years highlight the importance of inclusive governance measures and the ramifications of heavy-handed security responses to political dissidents. In particular, the Cameroonian experience points to the need to engage moderate political dissidents early and earnestly. In waiting months before attempting to work with the Anglophone community and doing so after violence began to escalate, the Biya administration allowed hardliners and separatists within the movement to mobilize effectively and gain influence. Had the government engaged the initial protests, led by lawyers and teachers, the escalation of the crisis may have been averted.

In October, Cameroon will hold elections, which could result in increased tensions. Anglophone territories have previously thrown their support behind the Social Democratic Front (SDF), which currently controls 18 of the 180 seats in parliament. If any perception of illegitimacy in the electoral process takes hold, the current level of violence could take an even deadlier turn. Avoiding an escalation of this kind, and ultimately changing the tone of the current situation, requires dialogue between prominent moderate, non-violent Anglophone activists and the government.

Source: Reliefweb

8, July 2018

Dozens die in Cameroon bus accident ⁰

At least 28 people have been killed and five others injured in a bus crash in central Cameroon, officials said.

The vehicle was travelling on the road that links the political capital, Yaounde, with the western regional capital, Bafoussam.

Naseri Paul Bea, governor of the central region, told The Associated Press news agency that the bus drove into a river in Boutorou town early on Friday.

The governor said authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, but that such accidents in Cameroon are often linked to the poor state of roads and drivers.

“Almost everyone is dead. Only five injured were transported to the Bafia hospital,” Ombang Christian, one of the survivors, told Anadolu Agency.

Last March, an accident in the same locality killed five people and injured 20 others, according to local authorities.

The Ministry of Transport estimates that 1,500 people die in road accidents each year.

Source: Aljazeera

8, July 2018

Nigerian business community is fleeing as Southern Cameroons crisis deepens ⁰

The economy of the troubled English-speaking regions in northwest and southwest Cameroon is slowly grinding to near halt as the long-drawn out security crisis is forcing local businessmen to put their safety over commerce. It is also driving away many of the biggest traders originally from neighboring Nigeria who have traditionally run key markets in towns around the regions.

The crisis, which started as a modest industrial strike action by English-speaking lawyers and teachers against the imposition of French, has spiraled into an unprecedented internal armed conflict. There are fears the country could slide into civil war as the conflict persists. In recent months, frequent clashes between government forces and separatists seeking to establish a state they would call ‘Ambazonia’ has left scores of civilians dead, including women and children.

The recurrent deadly confrontations have provoked mass movement of people. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that no fewer than 160,000 people have been internally displaced, while a further over 21,000 have crossed to next door Nigeria as refugees.

In a bid to express dissent activists have instituted a civil disobedience action called “ghost town”; which grounds daily activities every Monday, with extensions to some other key days. Traders who spoke to Quartz see the operation as economically damaging as at least one full business day is lost each week since late 2016. Those who dare defy the order risk facing the wrath of unknown arsonists who have burned down shops in nearby towns.

Restrictions of the movement of people and goods have further worsened the already deteriorating situation for businessmen. Armed secessionists called “Amba Boys” mount intermittent road blocks on-and-off along major highways in the troubled area. The government has also had to officially close its western borders with Nigeria on at least two occasions, while dusk to dawn curfews instituted by some local administrative authorities have simply helped to worsen the precarious situation.

The conflict has also been marked by the disruption of essential utility services, especially the supply of electricity and network interruptions to telecommunication services. Internet services were cut off for 136 days between October 2017 and February this year.

Nigerian trade

Kumba, the economic hub of the South West region, located some 70 kilometers from the city of Buea, has a sizable Nigerian business community who are principally engaged in trade; selling motor spare parts, liquor, electronics, fabrics, cosmetic products, among others. Like in Nigeria itself, many of the traders are of the Igbo ethnic group and their neighborhood in Kumba is named “Igbo Quarter”.

Igbo traders are a fixture in markets across western Africa and beyond with key networks at home and even out to China, a primary source of many goods they sell. Most of the Nigerian traders in Kumba have been doing business in the town in the last two decades. But many are now considering leaving for both safety and business reasons. Similar to Cameroon, some ethnic Igbo political activists have over the last two years been reviving a call for the separate Biafra state to be carved out of Nigeria’s eastern region close to Cameroon. When this happened in earnest 51 years it sparked the Nigerian civil war which eventually led to the loss of well over a million lives.

Many Nigerian traders are not keen to wait to find out if the Cameroonian troubles eventually subside.

Fabric traders, Mr & Mrs Okezie, are preparing to return to their hometown in Abia state in Nigeria. The husband says it has been difficult to get supplies from Nigeria over the last three months, while the whereabouts of most of their customers who took wares on credit are unknown. “Like some of our other brothers, we just have to return home and see what life has to offer there,” he said. “Things are really tough here now and we see no way forward.”

Another Nigerian businessman who asked not to be named given the security uncertainty, said “the business environment has become extremely hostile.” He said sales had dropped off and he no longer felt safe being in Kumba. “On at least two occasions, Amba Boys have visited me requesting for groundnuts [cartridges for Dane guns] or money to support the struggle.

Kevin Ndubuisi, president of the over 250-man strong Imo State Union in Kumba says his Nigerian compatriots have been returning in their numbers. “But no one tells you when he is returning. Some have just gone back as though they were going for a business trip but never returned.”

Source: Quartz

8, July 2018

US: Medical helicopter crashes on Chicago highway, 4 injured ⁰

Four people were injured when a medical helicopter crashed on a highway in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday night, with one in critical condition, officials said.

The pilot made a “mayday” radio call from a Eurocopter 135 air ambulance at about 9:15 p.m. Central Time (0215 GMT Sunday), according to a Federal Aviation Authority statement. The helicopter crashed on a ramp of the Interstate 57 highway soon after, it said.

Local media reported that a patient on the air ambulance was in critical condition, while the pilot and two others on board were listed in stable condition in Chicago hospitals.

No one on the ground was hurt and the National Transportation Safety Board was investigating the crash.

(Source: Reuters)

8, July 2018

2018 World Cup: Croatia beat Russia 4-3 on penalties ⁰

Croatia have ended Russia’s World Cup dream after they won 4-3 on penalties to meet England in the World Cup semifinals in Moscow on Wednesday.

Volunteers deploy giant flags during the ceremony held ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Russia’s midfielder Denis Cheryshev (R) shoots to score during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Russia’s midfielder Denis Cheryshev celebrates after scoring a goal during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Croatia were better side of the match, but Villarreal midfielder Denis Cheryshev put Russia ahead in the 31st minute with curling shot from outside of the box.

Croatia’s forward Andrej Kramaric celebrates after scoring the equaliser during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Russia’s goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev concedes the equalizer scored by Croatia’s forward Andrej Kramaric during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Andrej Kramaric leveled the match for Croatia before the break from a Mario Mandzukic cross. Domagoj Vida gave Croatia advantage in extra-time from a Luka Modric corner.

Russia’s forward Artem Dzyuba (L) reacts after falling with Croatia’s defender Dejan Lovren during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Croatia’s defender Domagoj Vida (L) celebrates after scoring during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Russia’s defender Mario Fernandes heads the ball to score during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Russia’s Defender Mario Fernandes brought his side level through a header in the 115th-minute to send the match to penalty shootout where Russians journey through their own World Cup ended in heartbreak at the Fisht Olympic Stadium.

Croatia’s goalkeeper Danijel Subasic stops the ball in the penalty shootout during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. (AFP)

Croatia’s players celebrate their winning penalty during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Russia and Croatia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on July 7, 2018. Croatia beat Russia on penalties to set up World Cup semi against England. (AFP)

7, July 2018

IMF projects 4% economic growth in Cameroon, warns against Anglophone crisis ⁰

Cameroon’s economy is expected to grow 4 percent this year, up from 3.2 percent in 2017 due to the start of natural gas production and construction work for an upcoming soccer tournament, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.

Growth was slower in 2017 because of a sharp decline in oil output but new infrastructure projects and increased private investment should bring it to at least 5 percent in the medium term, the IMF said in a statement late on Friday.

Cameroon, one of central Africa’s largest economies, produces about 180,000 barrels per day of oil and is Africa’s fourth-biggest cocoa producer.

The IMF statement followed a decision by its executive board to approve the disbursement of $77.8 million as part of a three-year, $680.7-million financial aid package.

Security risks

The IMF warned, however, that the economy faces considerable risks, including deteriorating security in its English-speaking regions — cocoa and oil-producing areas where separatists are waging a deadly insurgency, and high debts.

“With significant spending pressures associated with the 2018 elections, a worsening security situation and the 2019 African Soccer Cup, any additional oil revenue should be saved,” said Mitsuhiro Furusawa, the Fund’s deputy managing director, referring to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations due to be held next June.

President Paul Biya is due to stand for re-election in the vote later this year. The 85-year-old has governed since 1982 with little tolerance for dissent.

REUTERS