Gendarmerie officers hijack illegal fuel business in Southern Cameroons

Some gendarmerie officers who were brought in from Kutaba in the West Region in the wake of the lawyers and teachers strikes to maintain law and order has reportedly hijack illegal fuel business in Ndian and Meme Divisions of the South West Region.

According to reports, the gendarmerie officers conveniently abandoned what they were brought in to do and indulged in the business of illegal fuel when they discovered that illicit fuel was a booming trade in the area.

Their active involvement in the trade is said to have put the locals out of the business and has made Government efforts in fighting against the trade abortive, since most of the officers sent to track down those involved in the trade, quickly discover that it is their senior colleagues involved in the trade, as such, they cannot do anything with them.

On March 17 this year, some 5,000 liters of contraband petrol reportedly smuggled in from Nigeria through Ndian Division, was confiscated by the forces of law and order.

The confiscation of the petrol is said to have irked a senior police officers, who was said to be the brain behind the smuggle fuel.

The officer reportedly warned his subordinates never to embark on such a mission without his express permission.

Two months after the clampdown, the business has gone underground with dealers devising new methods of delivery the illegal fuel.