Over 220 spikes of ivory seized in two months

These were seized during some operations organised by agents of the Ministry of forests and wildlife in the regions of the South, Centre and East with the support of WWF.

According to estimates from worldwide Fund for nature (WWF) officials, more than 100 forest elephants were massacred lately in protected areas. This shows the commitment to the calls of the national and international community to halt illegal poaching, after the events of Bouba Yasser in mid 2012, where about 200 elephants were slaughtered. Thus the fight against ivory poaching continues at a frantic pace in Cameroon.

Not later than October 15, 2014, a "coup de poing" operation conducted by eco-guards of the Ministry of forests and Wildlife (Minfof) 7 Km from the city of Djoum, in the region of South Cameroon, led them to recover 39 spikes of ivory.

The tusks of elephants in question according to a briefing note sent to our editorial were carefully hidden in cocoa bags transported in a truck. "Two alleged suspects, including the owner and the driver of the truck were heard by the curator of the Dja biosphere Reserve, and then brought on Monday, 20th October 2014, to the Prosecutor of Djoum, waiting to appear before the Court of First Instance of the city.

According to Minfof officials of Dja and Lobo, "an investigation is underway to establish the fact surrounding these spikes of ivory". This operation in the southern region, follows the record seizure of 187 spikes of ivory carried out last September near Yaoundé-Nsimalen airport.