Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minister has said he is surprised that some public opinion in Cameroon holds that his country is funding and backing activities of the Nigerian terrorist sect Boko Haram.

He made the statement in Yaoundé February 21 in a press conference while visiting Cameroon to beef up France’s support against the terror group.

“I was surprised when the Ambassador told me that some people here are saying France is not against Boko Haram. If there is one country that is against Boko, it is France” Fabius said.

The French Foreign Minister who was also granted audience at the Unity Palace by President Paul Biya, said, he was in the country to show solidarity to Cameroon and other countries fighting Boko Haram.

His presence in Yaoundé came at a time when there was upsurge of allegations in social media that Cameroon’s military had arrested eight French citizens on the war front fighting with the militant group and that France has been putting pressure on the gov’t of Cameroon to release and send them back to France.

The attacks on France accused of fanning insecurity in Cameroon first surfaced during the November 2014 session of parliament when Soup Lazare, MP of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC, became vocal saying France was planning to destabilise the Yaoundé regime.

The French foreign minister who dismissed all the allegations levied against France said his country could not be indifferent to the activities of a gang of criminals who are hiding behind religion and causing havoc.

He said France will not deploy any soldiers in the war front but will assist Cameroon through military intelligence and training of soldiers. France, he added will as well convince other members of the UN Security Council to pass a resolution against Boko Haram.

The Minister said France will work with Cameroon, Chad and Niger to share secret information on the terrorist group.

“You cannot effectively fight Boko Haram when you don’t have information” intimated Fabius. He also visited Chad and Niger in a bid to demonstrate the commitment of France in the fight against the Boko Haram sect.