Security at the Bafousam central prison has been tightened following the arrest and detention of some 24 illegal immigrants suspected to be members of the deadly Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram. They were arrested by forces of the Bafoussam central police who were on routine stop and check of public transport vehicles.

They told law enforcement that they were enroute to Ngoundere. They entered the country through Bamenda, North West Regional capital, bound for Ngoundere through Yaoundé.

The arrest took place on May 12. They were initially held in police custody until May 15 when they got moved to the city’s Central Prison pending investigations. Once in their custody, the police began the process of identifying the suspects whose ages ranged between 20 and 30, traveling in a public transport bus from Bamenda to Yaoundé where they said they were to board a train to Ngaoundere.

Among the suspects are three Nigerians, - Abou, Rebo Ali and Mohamed Ibrahim. Besides the Nigerians, there are 18 Burkina Faso nationals - Wogbo Yacouba, Bance Abel,Bara Bassirou, Sorbo Souleyman, Zanre Bila, Zampou Fataho, Noni Mazo, Zanre Oussef, Bila Simon Pierre, Tabone Elyssa, Banre Robert, Diallo Asman, Djibril Adama, Zoure Ali, Dessongo Ousamane, Dessongo Abou, Dabo Fatawo, and Wentoula Dere. There are three Senegalese too - Sambo Amadou, Mamadou SY, and Guisse Djibi.

We gathered that the police officers, who carried out the arrests, based their suspicion of the suspects affiliation with Boko Haram based on their ages and the fact they were all coming from countries in West Africa with known Islamic extremists ties. No weapons were, however, found on them.

The police reportedly interrogated them asking why they were in Cameroon and whether they’ve got any ties to Boko Haram. The Journal did not get any tips regarding what they told the police.

The presence of the suspects among inmates in the Bafoussam central prison has posed a severe security concern and the penitentiary administration in the region has put everything in place to make sure the suspects are hastily indicted and tried. They were supposed to appear in court before this weekend. At press time there was no indication yet that it happened.

In the meantime, the public is questioning how they managed to find their way across the border in the North West without proper documents, and without police officers along the Cameroon-Nigerian borders in the region renowned for their shrewdness and diligence tracking them down.

About two months ago, some 30 migrants were arrested in the same West Region but were later released after investigations proved that they were Bororos from a frontier village bordering Cameroon and Nigeria. Their parents were said to have migrated to the West region years back.