By Talla Agha Christopher
As tensions in the North and South West Regions rages unabated, government has embarked on a protracted mission to fish out sympathisers and activists backing the now termed;Anglophone Crisis
Confronted with escalating tempers, a total breakdown of law and order, and worsening socio-political conditions, government has now taken to the trail of those considered as the masterminds behind the unrest. This move represents one in a series of measures that has been employed by the administration to calm the troubled waters amid deteriorating security conditions and other concerns.
The hunt is in a bid to bring activists before the military tribunal for adjudication, as was the case with the likes of Mancho Bibixy ,Tsi Conrad,and penn Terence who upon their arrest in January of 2017 subsequently stood trial before the military tribunal to bear the brunt of a failed system. They were each slammed maximum jail sentences to be served at the kondengui maximum security prison. Others soon followed suit.
Leaders of the virtual state of Ambazonia( otherwise known as southern Cameroons);Seseku Ayuk Tabe, Tassang Wilfred, Barrister Eyambe , Nfor Ngala Nfor and others were then extradited from Nigeria and placed incommunicado for close to a year. They presently face charges of Terrorism, Secession, propagation of false news, insurrection, non possession of National identity card and rebellion against the state in an ongoing trail before the military tribunal.
What started as a strike action in 2016 by common law lawyers and Anglophones teachers, has since escalated into an armed struggle, characterised by civil disobedience,violence, intimidation, kidnappings and a complete breakdown of law and order with the military allegedly burning down homes and villages of those considered as enemies of the state. This includes those voicing dissatisfaction with the Yaoundé based regime, protest coordinators,as well as leaders of all secessionist movements demanding for a separate state for the Southern Cameroons.
The clamour for equality and justice that began in 2016, has now degenerated into widespread dispute and degradation of law and order and a genuine fear of genocide as hundreds of lives succumb to the ongoing war in the two English speaking regions.
Recent statistics by civil society organizations reflect the extent of the damage with horrific numbers.The death toll is on a perpetual rise. There are claims that about 120 villages have been burnt down in the two English speaking regions, while about 11.000 people remain internally displaced.A majority of whom are taking refuge in the bushes and forests. This is in addition to the more than 45.000 Anglophone Cameroonians that have assumed the status of refugees in Nigeria.
Several activists both home and abroad, have been earmarked for arrest with regional, national and international warrants issued against them. Photos declaring them ‘Wanted’ have been placed with security operatives. This includes but is not restricted to activists like; Martin Ndu Tamua, Tepi Clarcson Tezeh and Akanji Levis Mbaku.
For issues relating to the Anglophone cause, the aforementioned Martin Ndu Tamua, Tepi Clacson Tezeh and Akanji Levis Mbaku have become persons of interest in Cameroon. The regime has set its sight on them with intent to prosecute and incarcerate based on charges for acts of treason, terrorism, secession, propagation of false news, rebellion against the state and sponsoring of the anglophone crisis.
The Sun gathered that Martin Ndu Tamua, joined the Southern Cameroons National Council(SCNC), a separatist movement clamouring for the restoration of Independence of Southern Cameroons in 2012. According to reports, he has since been involved in the distribution of SCNC materials,including but not limited to flyers, tracks, T- shirts and has on several occasions been arrested and manhandled under questionable conditions while in detention by security operatives.
It has been said that his refusal to cease and desist in his involvement with the outlawed SCNC and its activities despite multiple arrests, threats and incarceration is the reason why his Mabonji village residence in Meme Division was allegedly targeted by the military and burned to the ground.
In June 2018 in Buea, he was found and arrested with SCNC material, supposedly for distribution in Mabonji, the military then set fire on printing machines in his shop.Martin Ndu Tamua was thereafter linked to the sponsoring of Ambazonian fighters and immediately whisked to Yaounde were he was detained for several weeks at the Secretariat of Defence “SED” detention cell.
The Sun as well gathered that Martin Ndu Tamua had escaped from SED thanks purportedly to a penitentiary staff he had gone to school with. He would be later arrested in a taxi in Buea on his way to the hospital to treat injuries sustained in detention at SED.Martin’s wife will according to sources, be raped by security officials in an attempt to make bai and bail finally granted to Martin Ndu Tamua only after a considerable bribe to the commissioner on the condition that he leaves the country as a matter of urgency. All hitherto attempts by Human Rights and Torture defenders including his Defence Counsel to negotiate his bail had failed. The police have been on the lookout for Mr Martin since he disappeared from custody in June of 2018.
In related developments ,a man we identified as Tepi Clacson Tezeh on September 22 2017, took part in peaceful SCNC demonstrations organised to lay ground work for the restoration of Independence for Southern Cameroon on October 1st 2017. He has since been targeted and placed under security search light for felonies including military killings, abduction, arson and molestation, on anglophone youths. Crimes which popular opinion hold,were carried out by the regime in power despite the fact that victims carried identification papers.Tepi Clacson Tezeh abscorned into the wild to evade detention.
In April 2018 because of his affiliation with the anglophone identity,he was abducted from his place of work by armed men with military regalia to an unknown destination and placed under debilitating conditions while going through Mr. Tepi Clacson’s phone and personal effects. Images and videos of military brutality, burning of houses of anglophones civilians and killing of unarmed anglophone youths were found to make a case against him.
Tepi Clacson Tezeh this Reporter gathered, suffered molestation and dehumanization forced to view images and videos of people being dismembered and buried in mass graves. Traumatized and under duress, Tepi will agree to spy for the military for a token fee of 1millionFCFA . He would thereafter be slapped with crimes linked to treason against the state, terrorism, secession and slander about the government and military on social media.
The Sun gathered that military officials had dropped Mr.Tepi by the roadside after haven given him directives on his assignment for them.Tepi will later go to Bamenda under difficult circumstances. Meanwhile, back in Buea in a bid to locate him, his landlord was detained in police custody. This information will force Tepi Clacson Tezeh into unknown destinations.
Another Southern Cameroonian who is equally on the run is Akanji Levis Mbaku. Since September 2018 his where about remains a mistery according to family sources.Reports hold that Akanji stopped his university studies in Buea and joined the Ambazonian soldiers as their house was razed to the ground by the military. Ambazonian( separatists fighters) recruiting soldiers announced for every male in the village above the age of 17 to join the separatist fighters or be killed. With this clarion call Akanji will join the ‘Amba boys’ as they are commonly called and attack Bafia Village killing five government soldiers.Akanji alongside seven other amba fighters was later on ambushed by the military and arrested.
Reports hold that Akanji succeeded in escaping into the bushes, in the crossfire,when amba boys intercepted the military truck ferrying them to the camp where their future looked bleak and uncertain. Mr.Akanji Levis will later resurface after several days in hiding to the news that he along with other fighters were on the wanted list and his photo circulating in the media and various security posts.Akanji Levis Mbaku escaped the country after having being declared wanted by the state as well as Martin Ndu Tamua and Tepi Clacson Tezeh.