Momo Division in the Northwest region is the only Division
where all five Subdivisions have been hit by the Anglophone crisis recording
several deaths and property lost to fire. A larger portion of population of
this Division is practically on the run for safety either in neighboring towns
or in to the bushes. Extrajudicial killings are on the rise with cases of
missing relatives abound and most often than not dead bodies are discovered in
the bushes already in advanced state of decomposition.
The case of a family of eight armless civilians in Tiben
gruesomely killed in their home by the elite forces recently is still making
news. Most civil servants in Batibo, Mbengwi, Njikwa, Ngie and Widikum have
vacated residences and have relocated to Bamenda for fear of receiving stray
bullets in case of crossfire between Ambazonia freedom fighters and the
government forces. The exact number of Internally Displaced People IDPs cannot
be ascertained.
Center for Human Rights and Democracy of Central Africa
headed by Barrister Felix Agbor Balla had published a report on the
extrajudicial killings and burning of more than 50 villages in the Northwest
and the Southwest Regions. In a bid to
ascertain the gravity of the situation on the ground, Eden undertook a fact
finding trip to Njikwa defying smoking guns of trigger happy soldiers. This
reporter could not go further than Acha Tudig because of road blocks mounted by
Ambazonia freedom fighters and a burnt bridge around Mbemi. A fleeing resident
of Njikwa volunteered to narrate an ordeal they faced on May 22 in Oshie
village in Njikwa. According to Mbah Austin in his mid-fifties, Soldiers raided
Oshie village shooting at anything living thing. People were running from the
shooting and two bike riders were killed and those caught were stripped naked,
beaten and rubbed in mud. The raid was in retaliation of the assassination of
Police Commissioner Aboubakaro and two other Police officers, a massacre
allegedly carried out by the Ambazonia freedom fighters. Two Gendarmerie
Officers are said to have been kidnapped on that same day May 16, 2018 and
taken to an unknown destination. With the presence of the military that fateful
day in Oshie, the market went up in flames reducing shops in to ashes. A
prominent Businessman by name Ashime Charles recorded a loss of over FCFA 11 million worth of goods to that fire.
Ngwo village was also visited by the raiding soldiers and the market went up in
flames.
The Divisional Officer of Njikwa, Numfor Canisius Shu and the
Mayor Itambi Andrew, are said to be
living out of the Subdivision and the Deputy mayor of Njikwa Alhadji Adu Banu
is accused of siding with the administration and the military to terrorize
people taking advantage of the chaos. One of his victims, Basic education
Inspectorate staff for Njikwa whose name Eden got as Nestor Nyambi Ombaku, like
many others, is presently on the run because he is said to have rebuked the
Deputy Mayor against the habit of setting people up against the ruthless forces. Before Nestor knew it, he
was listed by the security operatives in Njikwa as one of those who have been facilitating
sponsorship from abroad to fund activities of the Ambazonia freedom fighters in
the area. This story was buttressed by the fact that Nestor Nyambi has about
four direct relations abroad and is probably acting as a liason officer channeling
funds from abroad. The Deputy Mayor is said to boast that anybody with links to
the Ambazonia freedom fighters would not have peace and says he has the names
of Momo sons and daughters who are fronting the crisis from abroad. He recites names like Nyamusa Terence, Mercy
Ombaku (USA) and Asaah Martin, Wilson Nyambo, Ombaku Rabben (UK) as those
practically financing the action of Ambazonia freedom fighters in Momo Division
and Njikwa in particular. According to Deputy Mayor, he alleges to have
personally watched these guys partake in the several demonstration marches
against the government of Cameroon in the US and UK. A regime lackey and ardent
CPDM militant, he, Adu Banu is said to have sworn with his life that he cannot
sit back and watch the country and Njikwa in particular being destroyed by a
ban of senseless youths. It was days after, one Achamba Dieudonne, a commercial
bike rider was found lifeless with bullet wounds. The owner of the commercial
bike who happens to be Nestor Nyambi Ombaku, it was alleged the military had
targeted and shot the wrong person in his place.
Over 200 IDPs from Njikwa and Ngie are hosted by relatives at
Musang quarter in Bamenda and amongs those from Njikwa is Nestor’s mother who
is groaning for her children’s safety. Felix Teche Nyamusa, a Politician and
Elite of the area went visiting Njikwa to get acquainted with what happened in
that subdivision. He was confronted and molested by the military and forced to
rub self in mud and his cellphone and money seized. Embittered Nyamusa says
this government must be held responsible for the carnage going on in the two
Anglophone Regions.
By Ignatius Nji
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