By LUSY LIMA
As the crisis in the North West and South West region, which has escalated in to an armed conflict rages on, many people including businessmen, have been bearing the brunt.
The businessmen have found themselves caught between accusations from the defence and security forces and the Ambazonian Separatist Fighters.
Some of the businessmen who are accused by the military of sympathizing with the separatists are arrested, tortured and detained under deplorable conditions. Some have reported died in detention under unclear circumstances. Meanwhile, those who are accused by the separatist fighters have been killed by the Amba boys.
One of such who has gone through this ordeal is, Buea based businessman, Fontem Viline, owner of a student hostel at mile 16, Buea. Fontem has been declared wanted by the defence and security forces, for renting out a room at his student hostel to Ambazonian Separatist Fighters. Meanwhile from information we gathered, the separatist fighters presented themselves to Fontem Viline as students of Buea university.
According to one Tangi Pius, a student of university Buea and longest resident tenant of Fontem Viline’s student hostel, the businessman’s fracas with the military started at about midnight on September 30, 2022 when a group of fierce looking soldiers stormed the student hostel.
The soldiers are said to have arrested two students by names Baya Jones and Potka Robert. The military claimed the boys are Amazonian separatist fighters from North West region posting as students of Buea university and were planning a manifestation and hosting of the Amazonian flag on the 1 of October 2022, a day separatists claim is the independence day of a country they christened Federal Republic of Ambazonian.
According to Tangi Pius, Baya Jones and Potka Robert moved in to the student hostel on September 25, 2022 after finalizing arrangements and presenting their student identity cards to Fontem Viline the hostel
owner. Tangi Pius also disclosed to us the military came back later at the hostel in search for Fontem Viline. But the soldiers later left after i told them that Fontem Viline had travelled to Europe
Meanwhile since then, Ambazonian Separatist Fighters have also been storming the student hostel in search of Fontem Viline claiming he is an informant to to the military.
I was asked by these Amazonian separatist fighters who fearlessly identified themselves to tell Fontem Viline that he can run but can’t hide and that they will get to him no matter how long it takes. Tangi disclosed. He said he has been keeping Fontem Viline informed of every detail transpiring.
If arrested by the military, Fontem Viline will be tried in a military tribunal under the anti terrorism low, whose maximum punishment is death sentence.
On the other hand, if the separatist fighters lay hands on him, Fontem Viline will certainly be killed like many other’s who suffered from the atrocities committed by the separatists.
It should be recalled that in November 4, 2021, a businessman and contractor, Wara Eric, and two others had been killed in Bamenda by gunmen suspected to be Ambazonian Separatist Fighters. The heavily armed gunmen had attacked and killed the businessman including two other people.
It was around midday when the gunmen stopped a car Wara and the others were in at Mbingfibie neighborhood in Bamenda, fired bullets, ripping three of it’s occupants.
Wara Eric was the contractor who had just won a contract at the Bamenda two council. Hw also owned a bar in Bamenda l.
He had been warned several times by non state armed groups to discontinue the contract and stop selling brewery products from les Brasseries du Cameroon, a source had been quoted as having said.
Another witness said no one can say for sure who shot them, but speculation is that they were killed by separatist fighters.
Wana Eric was in the car with his younger brother and two others. His brother allegedly escaped with a bullet wound on his hand. Two others, one identified as a welder died. They have said to have gone to the council to carry out estimates.
How ever, another source was quoted as having claimed, seeing what happened the last time in Below Foncha, it is believed that Government forces dressed in mufti carried out the attack. We know their modus operandi when an oncoming car approaches. But then we are all confused here in Bamenda. The situation is terrible.
In February this year, a business tycoon, Mou Ibrahim, who was CEO of Mawa Hotel was gun down by a soldier. Circumstances under which and the reason why the soldier killed the businessman have remained unclear.
As the armed conflict continues, the population of the two crisis hit regions have been decrying atrocities reportedly committed by the military and the Ambazonian Separatist Fighters.