The Cross River State Police Command has reacted to the alleged killing of 20 people in Boki by Amazonian militants
A statement titled ‘Re: Cameroonian militants invade Nigeria, gun down 20 people’ signed by the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, noted, “The attention of the Cross River State Police Command has been drawn to spurious claim that militants of Ambazonia, a separatist group in South West Cameroon, have killed at least twenty people in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
“The Command hereby advises members of the public to disregard this information currently trending on social media
platforms, as it is subversive.
“Measures are being taken to review the source of this distasteful information intended to spread fear and panic.
“Consequent upon the above, the Police Command hereby warns the respective bloggers/online operators to always cross-check facts from established authorities before sending such unverified information for public consumption.
“Finally, the Police Command is resolute in discharging her statutory functions in collaboration with other sister agencies to keep the state peaceful and safe at all times.”
Meanwhile, the Director General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Princewill Ayim, has disclosed that more than 500 refugees from Southwest Cameroon have fled again into the Bashu community in Boki LGA of the state.
Ayim said they have constituted and despatched a Multi-Functional Team, comprising SEMA and other supporting international agencies to Bashu to ascertain the immediate needs that can be extended and which camps would be appropriate to keep them till intervention from UNHCR.
He said the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced and United Nations High Commission for Refugees will soon issue a formal statement on the latest influx of Cameroonians into Nigerian communities.
He pleaded with Nigerians who have been playing a brotherly role to extend whatever immediate help the refugees require including accommodation.
It was gathered that as of Monday morning more refugees, mostly women and children, were still fleeing into their homes.
“As I speak, many of them are clustering in public squares and in individual houses. It is a sorry sight. And they are stretching our resources,” Ayim said.
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