BY LUSY LIMA
As the Anglophone crisis which has metamorphosed into an armed conflict rages on, the government of the Republic of Cameroon through her military are currently targeting innocent Anglophones alleged to be activists and have consequently launched a manhunt for them for not only siding with separatists, but offering them substantial financial assistance.
They have established both search and arrests warrants for the apprehension of many alleged Anglophone activists all over the national territory. The persons have been suspected to be siding with separatist fighters as the ongoing armed conflict that started about seven years ago rages on.
The alleged activists both home and abroad have been considered as dangerous and threats to the public and declared wanted.
The population has equally been urged to be vigilant and report to the closest gendarmerie or police stations.
Amongst the innocent alleged activists include Nji Alfred Ndifor Ni Mbone Akanji Martin, Mbanwei John, Mbelle Franklin Etonge and Charlette Nkwa Mbiaya.
At press time reports from Kumba, Chief Town of Meme Division, and South West Regions one of the restive zones amidst the armed conflict say Nji Alfred Ndifor has been declared wanted for not only siding with separatists but sponsoring them financially.
While on a family courtesy visit to Cameroon last September 2024 Nji found himself in a difficult situation.
Meanwhile, hanging out with some friends, policemen in uniform raided the area, arrested and whisked six of them to the Kumba Central Police Station. During a Police search at the station, one of them was discovered with a gun and immediately shot to death instantly .Nji Alfred Ndifor alongside others
were inhumanely treated and detained under degrading detention conditions for four days.
Nji’s family sources say he was miraculously released thanks to intervention from their family lawyer. As if this wasn’t enough, his attention was drawn by their family lawyer to the fact that he has a pending police summons. The police later on, according eyewitnesses, visit and ransacked their family residence and immediately accused him for not only siding with separatist fighters but sponsoring them as well reasons why he came to Cameroon and thus he was declared wanted.
Another worrisome case is that of Charlette Nkwa Mbiaya, a worker with a Human Rights Organisation, SEMO SENGO in Manyu Division, South West Region. The organisation taking care of Internally Displaced Persons affected by the armed conflict in Anglophone Cameroon. Charlette Nkwa remains a target to government and security forces and has equally been declared wanted and her where about remains cloudy. Her family members remain restless as the military keep making impromptu patrols to their residence just to apprehend her.
It should be noted that the rights organisation is considered by the government and security operatives for giving substantial assistance to separatists.
THE SUN gathered that while in a meeting organized by the Rights Group sometimes in May 2023 at Egbekwa village in Manyu Division, the military raided the venue and killed Charlette’s co-workers while she escaped to the bush but was unfortunately arrested by soldiers few days later while on patrol and allegedly molested and raped.
Charlette Nkwa Mbiaya is even more psychologically affected especially as her sister lost her life when armed separatist fighters invaded their Tinto Village.
The government crackdown on alleged Anglophone activists and politicians more especially youths have since intensified with arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture and extra-judicial killings becoming the new normal, human rights groups have said.
Government forces have engaged in extrajudicial killings, random looting, shooting, torture, molestation using disproportionate and discriminating force, abusing and arresting protesters, burning more than 300 villages, 600 houses , displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians, attacking hospitals beating and raping women and girls. The inhumane treatment meted innocent civilians amidst the crisis is alarming and the international bodies have been called upon to intervene and mount pressure on the government to solve the situation and assist all those who have escaped the armed –conflict.
The war still rages on and many more killings by the military are still been documented by Rights organisations, the government has launched a man hunt for those alleged to be fanning the crisis both at home and. abroad. Terrorism charges hang on them if arrested as they have been declared wanted.