As a proactive measure to guard against a likely attack by the Boko Haram sect, the Cameroonian immigration authorities have deported about 450 Nigerians living illegally in the country.

Those affected were picked up from Kousseri, a border town between Cameroon and Chad where they had initially been sent packing by the authorities in that country.

They were handed to government officials in Mubi, Adamawa State, North-Eastern Nigeria, according to Africa Review, a Kenyan digital news platform.

A Cameroonian official, Mr. Albert Mekondané Obounou, said those affected, “are foreign nationals without valid documents.”

A security source, who asked not to be named, revealed that the move was also part of an agreement reached by countries leading the fight against the insurgents in the sub-region.

“We decided to send home all foreigners without valid papers. Other countries of the sub-region involved in the fight against Boko Haram had advocated this solution to truly fight against the terrorists who infiltrate people,” the source said.

Nationals of other countries affected in the latest crackdown include Chad, Mali. Cameroon said it was only the beginning of a hunt on undocumented foreigners in the country.