This was last week in a press
briefing in Yaounde by suggestions from Chadian Minister of Communication
Hassan Sally Ben Bakary that France was providing arms for the terrorists.
Hassan Sally Ben Bakary put out this view in the press briefing in the company
of his Cameroonian counterpart, Issa Tchiroma Barkary when he visited Cameroon to sign partnership
accords between the two countries.
In the course of a video report
on the Nigerian town of Gamburu relieved by Chadian forces, the Minister
remarked on the astonishment of his troops upon appraising the weapons used by
the terrorist sect Boko Haram. “According to our men on the field, forty
percent of the arms seized from Boko Haram during confrontation were
manufactured in France”, declared Chadian Minister of Communication. “Much of
the hand gun, tanks, armoured vehicles and personnel carriers of the terrorist
sect Boko Haram are of French origin”, added Hassan Sally Ben Barkary.
The Chadian Minister’s views echo
those of many Cameroonian who alleged that France was not comfortable by the
fact that Cameroon had instead resorted to China, South Korea to do business
with. The allegations were substantiated with the numerous projects ongoing in
Cameroon, championed by the Chinese.
Of course, the perception is no
secret to France whose Minister of Foreign Affairs and International
Development Laurent Fabius who during a recent tour of Chad, Cameroon and Niger
last month was at pains to distance himself from the terrorist group, blaming
the Nigerian army whose ineptitude in battle had led to the capture of many
weapons of French origin.
The French Ambassador to
Cameroon, Christine Robichon was booed off the 20th May Boulevard
during the recent March Past in support of Cameroonian soldiers in the fight
against Boko Haram with cries of “No to France! No to terrorism!” ringing in
her ears.
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