English speaking Camaroons seek salvation from French language

Lagos - Police in Nigeria have arrested 12 Cameroonian asylum seekers in front of the US embassy in Abuja, a senior police officer said Thursday, according to state media.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Nwaoha Uzoma said the suspects would be prosecuted for criminal conspiracy, joint act, unlawful assembly, inciting disturbances and criminal trespass, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

Uzoma said the demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions: "Save our lives US government", "Southern Cameroonians need freedom" and "It is not a crime to seek asylum."

The Cameroonians claimed during investigation to be refugees from the UN camp in Lagos and had come to the US embassy to seek asylum. Parts of south Cameroon are English-speaking like neighbouring Nigeria and activists there oppose reject what they see as Francophone domination.

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