Paul Biya has declared two days of national mourning in memory of the soldiers who died in the military vessel en route to the Bakassi peninsula. The Biya decree stated that the two-day of national mourning begins on Friday the 28th and runs through Saturday 29 July 2017. The Cameroonian service men were on board an army ship code name “LE MUNDEMBA” when they perished at sea last Sunday July 16 , Off the Bakassi peninsula.

The decree of the 84 year old dictator specified that flags will be in half mast throughout the national territory, as well as in the diplomatic and consular posts abroad. On July 28, at 9 am, a tribute ceremony will be held at the Douala air base 201. On this occasion, Joseph Beti Assomo, the minister delegate at the presidency in charge of defense will address the condolences of the head of state to the families. During this ceremony, the bodies recovered from the ship more than a fortnight, will be handed over to the families for burial.

As a reminder, on July the 16th, a vessel of the Cameroonian army, with 37 military personnel on its way to the Bakassi peninsula, was wrecked precisely at the place called Debunscha. The ship was supplying a base under construction in the Bakassi peninsula, which was considered a priority development area by the government. To this day, not all the remains have been found.

By Sama Ernest
Cameroon Intelligence Report