44th National Day: Defense officials draw-up security

Joseph Beti Assomo yesterday in Yaounde, chaired a security evaluation meeting on instructions from the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

In prelude to the 44th National Day on May 20, 2016, senior officials of the Ministry of Defence met in Yaounde on April 20, 2016, to take stock of the prevailing security situation in the country and draw up strategies for a hitch-free event.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, presented the context of the present national and international security situation and insisted the need for more vigilance.

Minister Beti Assomo stated that the 44th the National Day will be celebrated within a particular security context marked by the war against the nebulous terrorist sect, Boko Haram and the challenges posed by the rising terrorist attacks in France, Mali, Belgium, Turkey, amongst others.

Yesterday’s meeting, during which he made a roundup of the security situation at both national and international levels, was therefore a stitch in time to take measures avert any ugly incident.

Though Cameroon’s southern and western frontiers as well as maritime borders are experiencing relative calm, the situation in the Far North and East Regions is still a cause for concern, with the heavy presence of refugees.

Even as the Boko Haram terrorist group is seriously weakened by Cameroonian and Nigerian Defence and Security Forces, rural and urban criminality, highway robbery, and banditry, amongst others are under control, there is still need for greater vigilance.

The analysis of the security situation in Cameroon and neighbouring countries enabled defence officials to put up appropriate strategies.

The presence of invited guests at the opening of the closed-door meeting like the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, René Emmanuel Sadi, the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelé, the Director General of External Research, Leopold Maxime Eko Eko was saluted by the Minister Delegate for Defence as they complement efforts in their different services in security and defence of the territory.

The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence in charge of Veterans and War Victims, Koumpa Issa, the Defence Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General René Claude Meka, Commanders of the different military corps, the Director of Presidential Security, Major General Ivo Desancio Yenwo, Commanders of the four Command Posts of the Military Regions and Gendarmerie Regions as well as the Commander of the Presidential Guard, Lt. Colonel, Raymond Jean Charles Beko’o Abondo.

The different territorial command post Commanders presented reports of the situation in their respective areas.

A careful analyses and proactive strategies were adopted for a hitch free event