Securing The Dipikar Island: Four Defence Posts, One Mission

By day and by night, come rain or shine and across turbulent waters, riflemen at Campo are holding the line. From Campo Beach in the South Region, the 11th Marine Battalion carries out routine operations to resupply forward operating bases near Dipikar Island. On Thursday, 7 May 2026, two patrol boats were observed at approximately 10:00 a.m. proceeding towards Dipikar Island. However, this was not the customary mission to resupply the personnel stationed around the island with water, food and medical provisions. Rather, it was a patrol team with media personnel embarked. The observer and Patrol Commander, Voussou Bruno, led the mission. Chief Warrant Officer Mbang Emmanuel served as the engineer on one of the boats, monitoring the engine, fuel and mechanical systems. Petty Officer Ongbakendakan Ruth Geraldine acted as navigator, plotting the course across the open sea. The mission was not to observe, sense, strike, and protect. It was to inspect the security arrangements established to safeguard Cameroon’s territorial integrity around the island. According to Chief Warrant Officer Mbang Emmanuel, the crossing takes roughly ten minutes by patrol boat, depending on conditions. Yet the patrol itself lasted nearly an hour. The constraints under which personnel of the maritime defence force operate were plain to see. Lieutenant Commander Voussou Bruno noted that the situation on the island is exceedingly sensitive. He had therefore been instructed to proceed with caution. For this reason, the media team was permitted only to view the various sovereign posts from a distance. Sovereign Posts For Security The Navy currently maintains four sovereign defence posts in the area. From a distance, one could see the national flag flying at full mast. Three are built with permanent materials, described as “proper buildings”. The fourth, established most recently following a minor incident, is still of temporary construction. According to the Patrol Commander, “The hierarchy is in the process of taking steps so that the fourth post is properly installed.” He added that building there requires the expertise of military engineers, since it is at sea. “They have already taken all the parameters; they are currently carrying out the works,” he added. Each post is manned by dedicated teams. On the approach of t...