For some time now, factions in the “Liberation” struggle of Ambazonia have been at loggerhead over administrative, managerial and financial affairs of the struggle. This largely explains why the “Trip to Buea” has been a herculean task for these fighters and “Restorationist” to accomplish. Uncoordinated actions from ground fighters and their Diaspora leaders have led to the cruel murder of innocent citizens especially villagers of interior villages, by these armed Fighters established in these localities. Some villages that have suffered from these abhorrent acts in the month of April 2020 include Bambui, Bambili, Mbengwi, Batibo, and more.
Friday 17th April, the Interim President of the Ambazonians, Samuel Ikome Sako, on what they call ” State TV”, ABC TV ( Ambazonia Broadcasting Corporation TV), and on Facebook Live, declared war after the opprobrious General Efang also known as big Numba, Commander of the ADF ( Ambazonian Defense Forces) fighters. According to the So Called “President” Sako in his televised speech that lasted about 15 minutes from 7 pm Cameroon time, April 17th, the leader of the IG (Interim Government) was categorical on dreaded actions to be taken against the ADF group of Kugwe, one of Batibo’s 22 villages that serves as base for the fighters.
“The senseless assassination of the Prince of Kugwe, Mr Abang Julius and the disappearance of about 60 of our compatriots (including women and children) with about 30 them severely wounded are feared dead in bushes, butchered by gunmen led by the Notorious General Efang’s gang”, said Sako.
According to him, the” Hoodlums” as he calls, attack villagers on their farms and kill them. He questions by Ambazonians will survive the sword of the enemy just to be killed by their own. To this effect, he announced a commission of inquiry led by his Secretary of Home affairs to deliver findings in 7 days.
Genesis of the Tension in Kugwe.
Before the murder of the Prince of Kugwe, many others have been killed by this group. The ADF base in Kugwe had existed all along unperturbed by the collaborative locals until sometimes in February 2020 when the group abusively engaged into tortures, intimidation, wanton kidnaps, ransom taking and cruel treatment of villagers and their rulers. The kidnap and detention of traditional rulers from neighboring Enyoh and Bessom villages, pushed the population to oust these rebels and invite the Cameroonian Military Forces to put an end to their activities.
Since then, the wandering gunmen have been on a systematic killing spree in this locality. Properties of villagers and general public have been damaged as a sign of revenge, compounded by the fact that, some 22 fighters sent from that camp to capture their peers of Bui Division and cease power never came back to tell the story of their journey. The so-called supreme commander of the ADF fighters, Norway-based Cameroonian, Ayaba Cho Lucas had stood his grounds to completely cease military might from the current leadership of Sako Ikome and maintain a state of no ceasefire. Meanwhile the other leaders arrested in January 2018, The Nera 10 of SisikuAyuk Tabe lampoons in jail at the capital city, Yaoundé.
It is this in-house fighting amongst these groups that has delved them into chaos and innocent citizens are at the mercy of God the Creator. Worst still, the collateral damages recorded when the military of the state comes to play, is no good news to ride home about for the armless population, a clear case being the Ngarbuh massacre.
Unfortunately, even in the midst of the deadly Coronavirus, killings are still on in these regions perpetuated by state forces and rebel groups.
Hopes are new that the people of Kugwe might smile again if these “Terrorism” acts are terminated and in the Anglophone Cameroon as a whole. Citizens especially villagers affected by the macabre deeds of these fighters have Been explaining gory tales to the Standard Mirror investigative team, of how these fighters treat them, couple with the flamboyant lifestyle they live in the midst of abject hardship by the populace.
