As the Nera 10 go to the supreme court come December 18th, the world is watching. History will judge the response of the international community. Forward ever. Backward never.
By Francis Mbah
Chairperson, Diplomatic and Advocacy Unit
Ambazonia Community, South Africa
A Call to Global Conscience
The international community is once again called upon to rise in defense of humanity, justice, freedom, and the fundamental respect for human rights. At the center of this appeal is the continued unlawful detention of ten leaders of the Southern Cameroons, also known as Ambazonia, whose case is scheduled to be heard at the Supreme Court of Cameroon on 18 December 2025.
The Abuja Abduction and Illegal Transfer
On 5 January 2018, ten Ambazonian leaders were abducted in Abuja, Nigeria, in clear violation of international law. They were illegally transferred to French Cameroon, where they were detained in underground facilities without access to sunlight for nine months. This treatment amounted to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment.
A Trial Without Due Process
After months of secret detention, the leaders were brought before a military tribunal that convened at night, without the presence of their legal counsel. They were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. These individuals are prisoners of conscience, detained not for crimes committed but for their political beliefs and advocacy.
Who Are the Nera 10?
The group, commonly referred to as the Nera 10, is led by President Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe. At the time of their abduction, all ten were legally resident in Nigeria and possessed valid documentation. Among them were university lecturers, human rights lawyers, and leaders of civil society organizations. Their arrest and transfer were not the result of any lawful judicial process but a deliberate political act intended to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Southern Cameroons people.
Ignored Court Rulings and International Findings
Several judicial and international bodies have already ruled on this matter. In 2018, the Nigeria Federal High Court ordered the unconditional release of the ten leaders, their return to Nigeria, and compensation for the violation of their fundamental rights. In 2022, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded, after thorough investigation, that their detention was unlawful and demanded their immediate and unconditional release. Numerous international human rights organizations have also described the Southern Cameroons conflict as one of the most neglected humanitarian crises in the world.
Prolonged Judicial Silence
Despite these rulings, the Cameroonian Supreme Court remained silent on the appeal for more than six years. The upcoming hearing on 18 December 2025 therefore represents a critical moment for justice and accountability. The international community must closely observe this process.
Silence Is Complicity
For more than nine years, innocent civilians in the Southern Cameroons have endured extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention, torture, sexual violence against women and girls, and the systematic burning of homes and villages by Cameroonian security forces. Continued silence in the face of these violations cannot be justified. Silence, in this context, amounts to complicity.
An Authoritarian Regime Exposed
Recent developments, including the widely criticized 12 October presidential election in Cameroon, have further exposed the autocratic nature of President Paul Biya’s regime. After decades in power, the government has entrenched a system characterized by repression, electoral fraud, and the concentration of state power in the hands of a few.
Justice as the Foundation for Peace
There can be no lasting peace without truth, and no justice without accountability. The continued detention of the Ambazonian leaders represents a grave injustice that must be addressed. The restoration of Southern Cameroons, also known as Ambazonia, is a legitimate political cause rooted in international law and the right of peoples to self-determination.
Conclusion
As the Nera 10 go to the supreme court come December 18th, the world is watching. History will judge the response of the international community. Forward ever. Backward never.
Francis Mbah
