By John Bessong
Since the Anglophone crisis erupted in 2016 and went violent the following year, the number of natives and inhabitants of Northwest and Southwest Regions who leave the country to settle abroad have increased considerably, The Sun has been informed.
While some reportedly flee to be able to safely fuel the crisis from a distance, others, who have no interest in the conflict, are said to leave Cameroon for fear of being arrested in connection with it.
However, we were told that in the eyes of the forces of law and order, most, if not all diaspora – based Northwesterners and Southwesterners are in full support of, and infact financiers of the crisis. For this reason, we were fully informed, when they decide to visit home, they are very often apprehended at the Yaounde Nsimalen and Douala airports, even if they do not adhere to the separatist agenda.
Such has been the case, these past few years, a good few of them whose names got to our newsroom last week. Some of them are Ivo N. Nchumulu, Tiku Arrey Solomon, Joe Mbando Itoe, Anagho Elsie Vuma, Leslie Jonathan Bonkiyung, Eustace Vifansi and Ndemafe Afendia.
Two of these suspected separatists, Ivo N. Nchumulu and Joe Mbando Itoe, are said to still be in custody while others have reportedly disappeared and are currently wanted.
The case of Ndemafe Afendia is particularly pathetic. She is reported to have been arrested in Douala airport sometime in 2019, on her way from China.
The Sun further gathered that she was whisked off to Yaounde where she was detained and allegedly tortured and raped repeatedly. Nonetheless, thanks to the intervention of her family members, she is said to have been released by unorthodox means one month later, after which she fled to an unknown destination. Some say she has since been taking refuge in a neighbouring country while others believe she must have escaped to Europe or the Americas.
There is an asterisk against her name that is found on the list of escapee prisoners – an indication that she is considered the most notorious of them all. “If caught”, an informant told us on condition of anonymity, “she will pay with her life”.