By NDIMUH B. SHANCHO
The wave of violence that culminated in the destruction of shops and looting of goods belonging to individuals of Bamoun extraction last Wednesday October 9, 2019 by individuals in President Paul Biya’s Chief Town, Sangmelima, following the killing of a bike rider, has been regarded as a crack on “living together”, which may induce an inter-tribal conflict if not well handled.
According to reports, the lifeless body of a 27-year-old commercial bike rider, Belinga Benjamin was discovered in the Nyazana neighborhood in Sangmelima. Shortly after this, his belongings were found with his brother-in-law Wilfried Mefoua (from Bamoun in the West Region), who was regarded as a suspect and arrested for investigation.
Shortly after the arrest, an irate crowd, predominantly Sangmelima indigenes, stormed the police station requesting for Wilfried Mefoua, The SUN gathered. After failing to lay hands on the suspected killer of their brother, they reportedly went on rampage, looting shops and destroying property belonging to persons from Bamoun.
Last Friday, October 11, 2019, the Governor of the South Region, Felix Nguele Nguele convened a dialogue meeting bringing together administrative, religious, and traditional authorities, members of the elite and representatives of the Anglophone, Bamouns, Hausa and Bamileke communities to arrest the situation.
During this meeting, the youths of Sangmelima complained of rampant cases of rape, theft, murder and other cases of assault in the town mostly perpetuated by non-indigenes, who, according to them are found along the streets shortly after being apprehended. The Minister of Higher Education and other administrative officials called on the youths of Sangmelima to tolerate each other for a peaceful co-existence.
Coming shortly after the Major National Dialogue which called for the development of codified principles for social dialogue, cohesion and living together, the speedy resolution of this conflict is very necessary to prevent further deadly escalations.