The military operations in Borno state to flush out Boko Haram terrorists from the area has forced about 1,500 refugees into the northern part of Cameroon, Nigeria’s ambassador to Cameroun has said.

Since the operations of the Joint Task Force (JTF) began following the declaring of State of Emergency in the three northern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe by President Goodluck Jonathan in May.

The President had explained that the security situation in those states called for the action.
The president had said the insurgents and terrorists in those areas prevented the government from fulfilling its duties.

Speaking with Journalists who are on presidential delegation to the summit on Regional Security in Yaounde, Cameroun, the Nigerian Ambassador to Cameroon, Ambassador Hadiza Mustapha said the figure which has been confirmed by the United Nations High commission for Refugees and is no where near the 3000 reported by the media.

The summit of Heads of States and Governments of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), kicks off today, with a focus on maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to the ambassador, the bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Cameroun in the areas of security has tremendously checked the activities of Boko Haram terrorists.

According to the Envoy, the Cameroonian government has granted the refugees unlimited stay until the situation normalise in their states back home.

Mustapha said, “there is a saying that you cannot choose your neighbours but you share both the good and the bad with your neighbours. It is true that we have seen not only with the Boko Haram insurgency but with the declaration of State of Emergency, a few refugees who have come into the Cameroon.

This is what happens, as long as you cannot choose your neigbour but you can choose how you live with your neigbour,that is why peace is very important. And since I have been here 10 months and since we put the Bakassi issue behind us, there has been a lot of improvement in our relationship. And with that improvement and with that peace, a lot of cooperation is now possible.