Cameroon Anglophone Separatist Leader Handed Life Sentence By Military Court

* Self-proclaimed president of ‘Ambazonia’ and nine
followers convicted of charges including ‘terrorism and
secession’

A military court in Cameroon has handed a life sentence to the
head of the country’s anglophone separatist movement, Julius Sisiku
Ayuk Tabe, and nine of his followers, lawyers said.

The 10 were convicted of charges including “terrorism and
secession”, the state’s lawyer, Martin Luther Achet, told Agence
France-Presse.

The sentence was confirmed by a lawyer for the separatists,
Joseph Fru, who condemned what he called a “parody of justice”.

The defendants refused to recognise the right of the military
tribunal in Yaoundé to try them. Their lawyers have yet to say
whether they will file an appeal.

Ayuk Tabe, a charismatic 54-year-old computer engineer by
training, was the first self-proclaimed president of “Ambazonia” –
a breakaway state declared in October 2017 in two English-speaking
regions of the central African country.

The government responded with a military crackdown.

Attacks by both sides have left 1,850 dead, according to the
International Crisis Group (ICG) thinktank, while the UN says
530,000 people have fled their homes.

English-speakers account for about a fifth of Cameroon’s
population of 24 million, who are majority French-speaking.
Anglophones are mainly concentrated in two western areas, the
North-west and South-west regions, that were incorporated into the
French-speaking state after the colonial era in Africa wound down
six decades ago.

Anglophones have chafed for years at perceived discrimination in
education, law and economic opportunities at the hands of the
francophone majority.

Ayuk Tabe is part of the political branch of the separatist
group that supports dialogue with President Paul Biya.

But the influence of moderates waned in 2017 as Biya, who has
been in power for 36 years, rejected demands for autonomy and
radicals in the movement gained the ascendancy.

In January 2018, Ayuk Tabe was arrested with 46 other
separatists in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

They were then handed over to Cameroon – a move that was ruled
illegal by a Nigerian court in March this year.

In late May, Ayuk Tabe said he was willing to take part in talks
with the government, provided this took place abroad and the
government released all who had been detained since the start of
the anglophone crisis.

Last month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the security forces
of committing “brazen crimes” against citizens, including unlawful
killings and use of excessive force.

The authorities, while rejecting general criticism, have
acknowledged a small number of abuses.

In June, the defence ministry said it would prosecute seven
soldiers suspected of summarily killing two women and their two
children, a video of which was distributed on the internet to
widespread outrage.

The unrest has crippled the economy of the North-west and
South-west regions and had a knock-on effect across the
country.

More than one in six people in Cameroon – 4.3 million – need
humanitarian aid, an increase of 30% from 2018, according to UN aid
officials.

FG Sets Up marriage Registries in all 36
States

In its efforts at ensuring uniformity in the conduct of
statutory marriages, the Federal Government has declared its
intention to set up marriage registries in all the 36 state
capitals in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Barr. Georgina
Ehuriah, MON, disclosed this today in Port Harcourt, River State,
while declaring open a one-day sensitisation conference on the
conduct of statutory marriages in Nigeria with the theme:
“Achieving Harmonious Compliance in the Conduct of Statutory
Marriage in Nigeria”, .

She said that arrangements are also underway to establish new
federal marriage registries in Umuahia, Abia State and Uyo in Akwa
Ibom State, to address the challenges faced by couples in the
South-South and South East Zones

Barr. Ehuriah further said that, “the Ministry is presently
considering some of the recommendations made by stakeholders in the
course of the conference like, extending the validity period for
licences issued to places of worship for the celebration of
marriages as well as downward review of the fees payable by couples
for conduct of statutory marriages in federal marriage
registries”.

She added that “a machinery has also been put in place for the
amendment of the Marriage Act to adequately meet the needs of the
21st century”.
The Registrar General of Marriages in Nigeria disclosed further
that, arrangements are on-going to give couples whose certificate
were not issued in line with the Act the opportunity to bring them
to conformity.

According to her, the Ministry is exploring the possibility of
integrating the marriage registries operated by Local Governments
into its online platform so as to bring them in conformity with the
Marriage Act.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Citizenship &
Business Department, of the Interior, Mr. Stephen Okon stated that
the Conference was necessitated by the
challenges faced by citizens because of wrong documentation of
their marriages which have led to series of litigations.

He stated that the conference is aimed at creating more
awareness on issues surrounding conduct of valid statutory marriage
as well as bringing about conformity with the law and uniformity in
the activities of the Marriage Registries across the nation.
Mr. Okon called for synergy among stakeholders to build a
harmonious collaboration that would help in resolving issues
militating against the sanctity in the conduct and documentation of
statutory marriages in the country.
The event which marks the end of the first round of the workshop on
the conduct of statutory marriages in the country, have earlier
been held in Abuja and Lagos for the North and Western zones.
SIGNED
Mohammed Manga
Director (Press & Public Relations)
For: Permanent Secretary