CI-NEWS

Special security measures for February 9 polls.

2019-12-09

No: 460

Special security measures for February 9 polls.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, has given assurances that special security measures are being taken in order to effectively protect citizens and their property during the upcoming end-of-year festivities and during the council and legislative elections scheduled for February 9, 2020.

The defence boss was speaking at the opening of a special security evaluation meeting held at the Ministry of Defence last Monday at the behest of President Paul Biya, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The in-camera meeting that brought together the topmost security personnel, service chiefs and heads of diverse military operations in the country, was principally to take stock of the current security atmosphere in all the 10 Regions and draw up a strategic security plan with regard to the forthcoming polls and the end-of-year feasts which are just around the corner.

Speaking at the start of the meeting, Joseph Beti Assomo underscored the importance of the upcoming elections and urged security and defence forces to carry out their duties with professionalism before, during and after the February elections. This, he said, is an important and historic challenge which they must live up to.

The Defence Minister particularly cited the cases of the Far North Region where Boko Haram insurgents continue to exhibit pockets of resistance and the two English-speaking Regions where militia men have been fighting for the independence of the putative state which they call Ambazonia. He said in these two cases of extreme security concerns, special measures would be put in place in order to ensure that citizens in these parts of the country are not exposed to any grave danger either during end-of-year celebrations or during the election period where they would be expected to exercise their fundamental civic duties. In order for the defence and security forces to effectively carry out their assignment of properly protecting citizens, Beti Assomo used the opportunity to appeal to the general public to show unalloyed collaboration to the forces on the ground. He said such synergy, including with administrative authorities and other citizens of good will, is vital for the achievement of great results. The meeting was also attended, among others, by the Minister of Territorial Administration who is also Permanent Secretary of the National Security Council, the Delegate General for National Security, and the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie.

Last Monday’s security meeting came just a week after regional Governors met in Yaounde for their routine bi-annual second session meeting during which the security of citizens during the upcoming end-of-year period and the February polls were top on their agenda.

Culled from Cameroon Insider.

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Special security measures for February 9 polls.