A fresh set of Nigerians resident in the ceded Bakassi in Cameroon, who returned to Nigeria on July 6, alleged that Cameroonian gendarmes have killed over 90 Nigerians.

According to online news reports, about 130 returnees, who landed at the Ikang jetty in the New Bakassi Local Government Area, said they managed to escape. They alleged they have lived under constant harassment from the Cameroonian authorities since the area was ceded. According to them, the situation that led to their return started on Wednesday when the gendarmes allegedly asked them to pay N100,000 for boat engine fee.

One of the returnees from Akpankanya in Abana, Chief Umoh Umoh Inyang, who spoke Efik interpreted by Linus Asuquo Essien, recounted their ordeal: “The Cameroonian gendarmes have been harassing us so much. They destroy our things, destroy our boats, beat us up and shoot many of us to death. They make a lot of trouble for us in Akpankanya in Bakassi.

Meanwhile, the government of Cameroon have refuted claims that it’s soldiers have been deliberately killing dozens of Nigerian civilians in cross-border raids while pursuing Boko Haram extremists into Nigeria.

Cameroon’s Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary recently dismissed the reports of war crimes, stating that Cameroonian troops were working in perfect synergy with the Nigerian military and have been trained to avoid human rights abuses.