By Cynthia Bih
Among the many civilians arrested in Bamenda prior to the October 1 independence day commemoration by separatists in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon are two siblings; Tsamoh Koukeng Bermond and Douanla Koukeng Orelien, who are traders at the Bamenda main market, dealing in basic household provisions.
They were returning from purchasing their goods in Nigeria when they were arrested in Bali, Mezam division of the North West Region by the military on Friday September 29, 2023.
Prior to their arrest, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam had issued a release prohibiting gatherings and limiting movement of persons into the division within the period leading to last weekend and Sunday, for fear that they might be coming in to observe the October 1 independence commemoration of the separatists.
Since separatists declared independence on October 1, 2017, there has been a cat and mouse chase every last week of September leading to October 1 in the last six years. Armed separatist groups declare ghost towns, forcing civilians to observe the days leading to their independence celebration while the government and the military stays on alert for any unusual activity or movement on or before that day.
The SUN Newspaper spoke to Mbouno Noubouse Durielle, wife of Koukeng Bermond, the older sibling who narrated the account of events as told by her husband before his arrest by the military.
“My husband and his younger brother traveled to Nigeria last weekend to buy provisions. They stayed almost a week in Nigeria and on their way back last Thursday September 28, they were kidnapped by Amba boys in Batibo. My husband is Bamilike, a francophone Cameroonian and separatist fighters accuse francophone Cameroonians of working against their independence struggle. So they took them into the bush and asked the car transporting them and their goods to continue with the other passengers” She said.
“They armed groups asked them to pay FCFA 250,000 each for their release, money they did not have and started calling family to send in order to secure their release. He called me and directed me to collect some money from his friend and send to him to make up for the amount demanded for their ransom. They paid the FCFA 500,000 ransom and were released a day after their kidnap.” She added.
According to the wife, she only got another call at about 2 PM the next day from the husbands phone asking to come see her husband at the Bali Gendarmerie brigade. “When they were released by the separatists, the military stopped them in Bali and when they could not identify themselves because their ID cards were not on them, they were immediately arrested and their phones seized. It was when they saw the FCFA 500,000 mobile money transfer to the separatists with the recipient’s name being one of the warlords they have been after that my husband and his brother got into trouble. They are being charged with sponsorship of terrorism” she added almost breaking into tears.
According to her, all attempts by the duo to explain themselves failed and they are set to be tried in the military tribunal where they risk facing life imprisonment or death like many who have gotten into the military and separatist dragnet since 2017.
The SUN Newspaper tried to get word from the military but no one will accepted to speak.