Family of 7 Kidnapped in Cameroon; Tensions Between Africa, France Strained
A family of seven has been kidnapped while vacationing in Cameroon, Africa. The kidnapping is believed to be the work of Boko Haram, a Nigerian Islamic sect, and the Cameroon government is working around-the-clock to locate the missing family and bring them safely home to France.
According to reports, tensions are already strained between France and Africa, which could have led to the kidnapping. The family was allegedly taken from Cameroon to Nigeria, and the Cameroon government has asserted that it is in contact and working with both the French and Nigerian government.
"The three adult tourists and four children were picked up early today (Tuesday) by men riding on motorbikes who rode off toward the border into Nigeria," Delegate Jean-David Ndjigba told the Associated Press.
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The father has been identified as an employee of the French gas group GDF Suez; he worked in the capital of Yaounde, where he also lived with his family. Those kidnapped include two adults and four children between 5 and 12 years old. Unfortunately, according to the Associated Press, government sources have said that the family has been separated, with the children being removed from their parents' care.
"As I speak to you right now, helicopters are flying over the entire province, and specifically in the administrative area of Waza in search of the kidnapped tourists," Ndjigba added.
Boko Haram is at the center of the investigation; the group is known for its extreme behavior and animosity towards others. The organization killed at least 792 people in 2012 alone, according to the AP.
"If everything is confirmed, this signifies that the fight against terrorist groups is a necessity. There is a battle to be led by the international community against terrorist groups and narco-terrorists," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement.
