NewswatchNigeria can report that Australia’s Border Force have mounted close security watch on Nigerian representatives at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia.
This came on the heels that eight out of the 24 athletes in Team Cameroon have been declared missing.
Both Australia and Cameroon officials on Tuesday said they cannot give account on the whereabouts of the Central African athletes and are sad that the athletes could no return to their home country.
The Cameroon Commonwealth Games team has flown home from the Gold Coast early following the disappearance of eight of its 24 athletes.
Victor Agbor Nso, Head of Cameroon’s Commonwealth Games Team, who confirmed the development, explained that despite athletes being closely monitored, three Cameroonian competitors managed to sneak away from the Games village on Sunday night. Two more athletes disappeared on Monday, followed by another three the following day.
He said, “The remaining Cameroon athletes returned home on Wednesday to ensure that no more disappearances occurred.
“ The Cameroon Commonwealth Team is sad to announce that eight of the 24 athletes that took to the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, are missing from their respective rooms in the Games village.
Weightlifter Olivier Matam Matam and boxers Christian Ndzie Tsoye and Simplice Fotsala were among the first to go missing on Sunday.
Matam Matam and Fotsala had competed in the Games on Thursday and Friday respectively.
However, Tsoye failed to show up for his men’s 91kg fight with New Zealand’s David Nyika on Tuesday.
Two more weightlifters, Arcangeline Fouodji Sonkbou and Petit Minkoumba, disappeared on Monday. Boxers Fokou Arsene, Yombo Ulrich and Ndiang Christelle followed them out of the village on Tuesday.
More than 40 athletes, many of which sought asylum, overstayed their visas following the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.
Two of those athletes, Cameroonian weightlifters Francois Etoundi and Simplice Ribouem, are competing for Australia at the current Commonwealth Games.
The matter has prompted Australia’s Border Force to monitor the situation. Nigeria traveled with about 90 athletes for the Games
