Ten Cameroonian separatist leaders were on Friday abducted in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, the Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia said yesterday in a statement.

“The Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia strongly condemns the abduction of President Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe and nine other officials by gunmen from la Republic du Cameroun at about 19:30 pm in Nera Hotels, (Ekwueme Road), Abuja Nigeria on January 5, 2018. This criminal abduction happened during a meeting being chaired by H.E. Sisiku Ayuk Tabe,” the statement signed by Signed by Chris Anu, Secretary of Communications and IT, Federal Republic of Ambazonia, said.

It identified those arrested along with Tabe to include Dr. Nfor Ngala Nfor, Chairman of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC); Dr. Fidelis Nde Che; Dr. Henry Kimeng; Prof. Awasum; Dr. Cornelius Kwanga; Mr. Tassang Wilfred; Barrister Eyambe Elias; Dr. Ojong Okongho; and Barrister Nalowa Bih.

According to the statement, “The President and his team were in a High Command meeting in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria at the time the Cameroun Gunmen showed up at the Hotel. The meeting started at around 5pm, Nigerian time. At around 7:30PM, the gunmen came into the Hotel and abducted all of them including the President.

“The meeting was scheduled to discuss the Southern Cameroons Refugee crisis in Nigeria and to galvanise relief support for housing, medical and feeding in anticipation of the approaching rainy season.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has been notified of the incident and it is currently investigating the situation. The Interim Government of the Southern Cameroons calls on all Southern Cameroonians to remain calm as it pursues investigations.

Southern Cameroonians continue to be victims of extra judicial killings orchestrated by President Paul Biya and his henchmen.

“President Paul Biya and his henchmen must know that Southern Cameroonians will continue to assert their right to self-determination and will hold Paul Biya to account on all the killings of Southern Cameroonians.

“We call on Nigerian authorities to address this issue immediately and ensure that the Cameroun Government does not do any harm to them. We also call on the Nigerian authorities to investigate this threat against its sovereignty by La Republique du Cameroun.

“We call on the Nigerian government to guarantee the security of the more than 20,000 Southern Cameroonian refugees in various camps in Nigeria.

“Ambazonians will ‘Live Free or Die’.”