SCAUF Marks Eighth Anniversary of Nera Ten Abduction with Urgent Call for Release and Justice
By James Agbor BaretaNews Political Analyst Buea, Ambazonia – January 3, 2026
As the eighth anniversary of the infamous Nera Hotel abduction approaches, the Southern Cameroons Ambazonia United Front (SCAUF) has issued a powerful press release demanding the immediate implementation of the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) Opinion No. 59/2022. The opinion, adopted in September 2022, declared the detention of Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe and nine other Ambazonian leaders—collectively known as the Nera Ten—arbitrary and unlawful, calling for their prompt release, compensation, and an end to their persecution.
The Nera Ten, including prominent figures like Wilfred Fombang Tassang, Ngala Nfor Nfor, and others, were seized on January 5, 2018, during a meeting at the Nera Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. What began as a humanitarian coordination effort for Ambazonian refugees fleeing violence in Southern Cameroons quickly turned into an international scandal. Nigerian authorities arrested the group and extradited them to Cameroon in violation of international refugee law and non-refoulement principles. In Cameroon, they faced a military tribunal, resulting in life sentences for charges including terrorism and secession—rulings widely criticized as politically motivated.
In their statement released today, SCAUF highlights the ongoing human rights violations and the failure of both Nigerian and Cameroonian governments to comply with the UN’s directives. “Eight years on, this authoritative UN decision remains unimplemented,” the press release states. “SCAUF calls on the Government of Nigeria, the Government of Cameroon, and the international human rights community to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and international human rights law.”
The demands are clear and uncompromising:
- Immediate implementation of UN HRC WGAD Opinion No. 059/2022.
- Immediate and unconditional release of the Nera Ten and all Ambazonian prisoners of conscience.
- Their immediate return to Nigeria.
- Full respect for international human rights and refugee law.
- An end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial transfers.
SCAUF further urges the National Assembly of Nigeria to engage the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the Attorney General, to secure the release, return, compensation, and rehabilitation of the Nera Ten—all of whom are duly registered Nigerian citizens. “Eight years is eight years too long. Justice must prevail,” the statement concludes.
This call comes amid heightened tensions in the Ambazonia conflict, now entering its tenth year. Recent developments include the Cameroonian Supreme Court’s adjournment of the Nera Ten’s appeal to January 15, 2026, following a hearing on December 18, 2025. Legal experts describe the proceedings as a “judicial farce,” with over 60 lawyers defending the leaders against what they call state-sponsored humiliation of Anglophones.
The UN WGAD’s opinion detailed how the arrests violated multiple international covenants, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It emphasized the lack of legal basis for the extradition and the discriminatory nature of the trials. Despite this, Yaoundé has ignored the ruling, continuing to hold the leaders in Kondengui Prison under harsh conditions.
Ambazonian activists worldwide have echoed SCAUF’s demands, viewing the Nera Ten’s plight as emblematic of the broader struggle for self-determination. Under the blue, white, and green stripes of the Ambazonia flag, symbolizing peace, purity, and prosperity, the movement persists despite repression.
As the anniversary nears, SCAUF’s message is a rallying cry: the time for justice is now. The international community, including the African Union and the United Nations, must pressure Nigeria and Cameroon to act. For the Nera Ten and the people of Ambazonia, eight years of injustice is indeed too long. The fight for freedom continues.
James Agbor is a political analyst for BaretaNews, focusing on Ambazonian independence and human rights issues
