By Lusy Lima
The police in Buea has issued a warrant for the arrest of Shella Fotsop, a nurse hitherto working with Kenkō Foundation, a local humanitarian organisation which seeks to promote community health wellness through different programmes designed to contribute to the improvement of health and wellness especially within vulnerable populations.
Dinga Jean Marie, South-West Regional Delegate for National Security made the information public on Monday, 15 May 2023 at a preparatory meeting ahead of National Day.
According to the local police chief, the suspect, Shella Fotsop was arrested on 29 November 2022 for providing care to armed separatist fighters who seek to create a utopian country called Ambazonia.
“We call on the forces of law and order in the region to be vigilant and do all in their powers to track down Shella Fotsop, a nurse specialised in treating the wounds of separatist fighters,” the police chief said. “Ahead of National Day on 20 May, we have to do everything to ensure a hitch-free celebration.”
Although the police chief did not give further details on the Shella Fotsop case, The SUN gathered that she was arrested on 29 November 2022 and detained at the central police station in Buea. After more than a month in detention, she was rushed to the Buea Regional Hospital Annex on 03 January 2023 for medical attention after losing so much blood. It is alleged that she had bled profusely after she was gang raped by police officers on guard.
The SUN learnt that the suspect, Shella Fotsop escaped from the hospital where she was receiving treatment. Sources say the police are after her not only in connection to providing medical care to separatist fighters, but also to erase evidence of rape by police officers.
Our investigations point to the fact that Shella Fotsop had twice been kidnapped by separatist fighters and taken to their camps where they were forced to provide medical care to wounded fighters.
We learnt that Shella Fotsop was first kidnapped along with her colleague named Dokita Solange on 01 June 2022 in Tole during their medical outreach campaign in the remote locality. After treating wounded fighters in the bush, they were freed. On 03 June 2022, Shella Fotsop was detained at the Buea Central Prison on charges of providing medical assistance to armed separatists. She was granted bail on 08 June 2022, according to police records.
Ray Nji, Executive Director of Kenko Foundation told THE SUN that Shella Fotsop was among his workers unfortunately kidnapped on 22 November 2022 in Ekona while they were providing medical aid to the population.
“Shella Fotsop, Ayuk Sonia and Ngong Mellicent were kidnapped by armed separatist fighters on 22 November 2022 in Ekona. They were forced to treat wounded separatist fighters. This was done at gunpoint. It is unfair for the police to accuse them of collaborating with separatist fighters,” Nji told THE SUN.
Although Shella Fotsop’s whereabouts is unknown, her ordeal is one shared by many other humanitarian workers in Cameroon’s restive North-West and South-West regions. Many have been detained and others kidnapped while providing humanitarian aid. Months later, those arrested with Fotsop are still detained, and Kenko Foundation is calling for their immediate release.
For almost six years, South-West Cameroon has been impacted by violence between separatist armed groups and state armed forces. Kenko Foundation provided free health care and wellness assistance to people.
Cameroon’s English-speaking separatists are fighting to break away from the French-speaking majority that it says treats them as second-class citizens.
Since the conflict broke out in 2017, the UN says more than 3,500 people have been killed and 750,000 displaced.