afrol News, 16 June - The dead bodies of five Cameroonians abducted by pirates near Cameroon's border with Nigeria on Monday were found mutilated, riddled with bullets and buried in the mangroves.

Deputy Governor of Kombo Abedimo, Felix Morfan, and five soldiers were attacked and kidnapped on a boat travelling on the Akwa Yafe River in Bakassi, which borders with Nigeria.

Although the identity of the abducted men - whose bodies were almost decomposing when recovered - has yet to be established, the official is feared to be among the dead.

It is still not clear who carried out the attack but people in the area, including Cameroon authorities, suspect Nigerian militants from the Niger Delta are responsible of the attacks.

Cameroon's Army chief of staff on Tuesday interrogated heavily armed pirates who had opened fire on the vessel carrying the deputy governor and the soldiers, said a Ministry of Defence statement.

Recent attacks on Cameroon have increased tensions and sparked fear among Nigerians along Cameroon's Bakassi peninsula. Some have started fleeing their homes in fear of possible revenge by security forces.

The attacks came at a time when government has been vocal about peace in the region for amongst others, implementation development projects that have been supported by the European Union.

Pirate attacks in the country are increasing, having killed 21 Cameroonian soldiers in Bakassi peninsula November last year by an unidentified group of armed men.

Nigerian government handed over the peninsula to Cameroon in August 2006 following a ruling by International Court of Justice after a territorial dispute that led to a series of bloody clashes between the West African neighbours in the 1990s.

The rest of the area is due to be handed over in August this year though some of the residents in the area said they do not want to give up being Nigerian.

While both Nigeria and Cameroon are sourcing crude oil from the peninsula and its offshore areas, increasing pirate attacks are devastating Nigeria-Cameroon efforts to return the acclaimed land.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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