By DANIELA NEBA NGUM
It has been reported that the serious gun exchange between the military and some unidentified gunmen believed to be separatist fighters in Ediki and Mbalangi, in Mbonge Sub-Division, Meme Division stopped the circulation of vehicles and movement of persons for hours.
The incident happened on Friday April 13 after some unidentified gunmen surfaced and blocked the highway.
It is reported that vehicles leaving from Kumba to other towns and those from other towns to Kumba remained stranded for several hours around Ediki and Mabonji.
According to our sources the main road was only made passable after the swift intervention of the military.
Villagers of Ediki and Mbalangi on their part have been reported to have fled into the bushes for safety.
Others however, boarded the train immediately to nearby Mbanga in the Mungo Division of the Littoral Region of the country.
Gunmen believed to fighters fighting for the restoration of the statehood of British Southern Cameroons, now called Ambazonia had mounted a roadblock cutting off traffic along the Buea-Kumba highway.
The military stormed the area opened fire on everyone at the scene three persons were killed including a gendarme officer who was in plainclothes. The military then proceeded into the villages to hunt down the alleged separatists fighters and their sympathisers.
Houses of those suspected to be sympathisers of the Southern Cameroon course we torched and others vandalised.
Earlier this year, in February precisely, Mbalangi village was raided and several houses burnt including that of one Ebot Linda Bessem who was arrested and detained for sympathising with the separatists.
Ebot and some others succeeded to escape meanwhile charges including secession, terrorism and rebellion were being prepared against them.
There have been several gun battles between the military and separatist fighters across the North West and South West regions of the country – being the English speaking parts of the country.