By Norbert Wasso Binde
Since the declaration of war by President Paul Biya on separatist forces attempting to break Southern Cameroons away from the Union with La Republique du Cameroun, in 2017, many people have died and several others have escaped to either neigbouring Nigeria which hosts over thousands immigrants, or to other unknown destinations.
The war, which started with striking teachers and lawyers demanding for some reforms in both sectors, finally degenerated to an armed conflict between the government forces and armed groups fighting for the restoration of the state of Southern Cameroons.
31-year-old Nkengafac Julius is one of the victims of this drawn-out conflagration which has claimed thousands of lives, and thousands more missing, maimed and homeless.
Nkengafac’s ordeal
Nkengafac Julius’s ordeal started in October 2023. He was among others who were seriously tortured because they took part in the October 1st march pass organised by separatist fighters in Bafia-Muyuka. After the march, they were rounded-up, seriously tortured and later whisked off to the Regional capital, Buea and detained at the Central Police station on October 5th, 2023 in very inhumane conditions.
After spending weeks at the Central Police Station, the police authorities decided to transfer all the detainees linked to the separatist activities to Yaounde.
On October 30, 2023 while on their way to the nation’s capital, Yaounde, were they were expected to be detained at the notorious Kondengui Maximum Security Prisons, the separistist fighters who had gotten wind of the transfer attacked the convoy carrying detainees from Buea.
Mr Nkengafac Julius, with many other detainees, allegedly linked to separatist activities, took advantage of the confusion provoked by the separatists’ attack on the convoy to escape.
The incident reportedly occurred along the Buea -Yaounde Highway Road and Mr Nkengafac Julius fled for safety.