Ekeomah Atuonwu
Several hundred Cameroonians, some of whom claim they were fleeing terrorist and rebel attacks at home, have reportedly been deported by Equatorial Guinea, according to Cameroon officials.
The deportees, according to the government of Equatorial Guinea, were economic migrants. By the end of the year, 7,000 Cameroonians will have been deported.
On Monday, hundreds of Cameroonians cheered as they welcomed 200 of their expelled nationals back. However, some were not pleased with the conduct of Equatorial Guinea.
People in the public yelled that by deporting Cameroonians, the oil-rich nation was showing disregard for those who had provided labor as mechanics, electricians, bricklayers, miners, and other occupations.
Some deportees said they were tortured and their property looted in Equatorial Guinea. Others said they spent several nights in detention centers and were freed after agreeing to return to Cameroon unconditionally.
Nouhou Bello, the most senior Cameroon government official in Ocean, the administrative unit where Campo is located, says President Paul Biya asked him to receive the deported civilians and make sure they travel to their towns and villages in peace.
Bello says Cameroonians who have arrived in Campo since Friday have confirmed to government officials that they were in the neighboring state illegally. He says some of the deportees told officials their visas had expired while others acknowledged lacking travel documents when they went to Equatorial Guinea.
Bello called on Cameroonians staying in Equatorial Guinea illegally to return home or risk being locked up.
Earlier in October, the government of Equatorial Guinea said it would embark on a mass deportation of people living illegally in its territory.
Officials said insecurity has mounted due to an influx of about 30,000 economic migrants within the past three years. Equatorial Guinea accused job-seeking youths, especially from Cameroon and Nigeria, of harassment, theft and armed banditry.
