By Sah Terence Animbom
The continues escalation of the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West regions of the Republic of Cameroon has continued to expose one nasty behavior of the military or the other each passing day. It is either the burning down of villages or the indiscriminate killing of civilians in what is always termed crossfire or the arrest, torture and incarceration of any citizen suspected of involvement with Ambazonian activists as was the Case of Amahngeh Elvis who was arrested in Fundong Boyo Division and transported to Bamenda the capital City of the North West Region in Febraury 2018 for suspected involvement with armed separatist fighters.
Mr Nges Jam, a man with disability which The SUN learnt was shot close to two months back and Yong Valentine together with another family member whose names The SUN Newspaper could only get as Nkwain were last week on Wednesday May 30, 2018 arrested from their family residence at Wonmbong Njinikom Sub Division where some houses were allegedly burnt by military about a month back and tortured in a bid to get from them the whereabouts of their brother Paul Ngong Njuakom a man in his mid forties who is accused of acting as liaison officer between the Southern Cameroons Liberation Ambazonian Activists in the Diaspora and the armed fighters in Belo Sub division which has become the hotbed of the Cameroon Anglophone Crisis.
Talking with relations of the tortured in Bamenda who chose to only talk of basis of anonymity, they told The Sun Newspaper that their brothers were arrested and tortured by military forces forcing them to give up the whereabouts of their brother Paul Ngong Njuakom whom The SUN was made to understand just recently returned from the United States of America. They said he was accused of sponsoring armed fighters on the ground and that he was also responsible for the distribution of propaganda messages during the October 1, 2017 mass protests that engulfed the Streets of the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, propagating for a free state of Ambazonia. A family Member told The SUN. “He was arrested on his way to Belo on April 6, 2017 and was detained for two weeks but was later freed after we paid more than One million Francs (1,000,000FCFA) as we feared he would be transferred to the Yaounde Kondengui Maximum Security Prison.” Another Family Member told The SUN. “I know all this is because Paul just returned from the USA and the government hates all Anglophone Cameroonians in the US because of their involvement in the present socio-political crisis in the country.” She added.
The SUN also learned that a warrant of arrest had been issued about a week ago from the Legal Department in Mezam Bamenda, for the arrest of Paul Ngong Njuakom who is said to have escaped from police custody in Belo Sub division over a month ago.
Belo Sub Division has been ungovernable since February with all economic and social activities paralyzed since clashes between Separatist fighters and Government forces continue to ensue on daily basis. It is generally believed by Government and others that the separatist fighters in Belo get their financial support from the Diaspora which has so far been very involved in the present socio-political unrest in the Republic of Cameroon that has lasted close to two years now since its start in November 2016 with simple demands for reforms in governing policies by Lawyers and Teacher trade Unions.
It is the above believe that places Paul Ngong and many others in the fishing waters of government. It is worth recalling that the mother of a suspected Ambazonian activist by Name Amigo was arrested and tormented in Belo Sub division last April just in a bid to get her son’s whereabouts as was the case with Paul Ngong’s Relations.
If arrested, Paul Ngong and any one in a similar condition like his will be tried under the Anti Terrorism act of December 2014 passed to limit the spread of Boko Haram insurgents in the North of the country but now used as a weapon to suppress any socio political uprisings in the country especially the Anglophone Crisis.
Paul Ngong Njuakom at the moment is unreachable and all attempts to get to him through his pregnant Fiancee Shella have failed as she is highly worried and seemingly depressed. She retorted “leave my husband alone” almost bursting into tears and dropped her call when The SUN tried asking her more questions. This to note is just one of many cases of family separations that have been caused by the ongoing Anglophone crisis in Cameroon.