By Moma Sandrine
The national chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) party, Ni John Fru Ndi has accused the Head of State President Paul Biya for the constant killings and destruction in the North West Region of Cameroon. He made this statement after visiting Njinikom in Boyo Division on Saturday, July 7.
While accompanying the national chairman of the SDF Party on Saturday, this reporter observed that a greater part of Njinikom had been totally deserted. Majority of people had fled their homes to the bushes for fear of the unknown. The SUN caught up with Emelda, a woman in Njinikom who had fled her house for safety at a hospital “I ran away from my house to seek refuge in this hospital. It has not been easy since. We only feed from what we harvest from the farm. Sometimes we even cook without salt or maggi. The crisis has really affected us. Most of our girl children are pregnant and our male children are now petit thieves. We hope that schools resume so our children can return to school. But we don’t even have the money to prepare them for schools. We just pray that the government should do something to end the destruction and killings so that we can return to our homes because it is really not easy”
Following the recent unrest in Njinikom, one of the most renowned catholic hospital, St Martin De Porres has witnessed a decline in the number of patients received. “Patients hardly come here for treatment. Work has been slow. We sometimes visit the sick in their houses to administer treatment, give them Holy Communion and pray with them. Some people run and come to us here when they hear shootings. Work sometimes is really difficult because we are also scared of going out to attend to people when we hear shootings” Reverend Sister Brieda told The SUN.
Military brutality and excesses?
While in Njinikom, several houses had been burnt to ashes amongst which are the residence of Prof Kwi Paul and mamma Kwelah Susan. Speaking to The SUN, Mamma Kwelah Susan narrated how her house was reduced to ashes. “The military invaded my house, pulled me out and asked me to sit on the floor; I told them I could not. They pointed guns at me and I screamed Jesus…they later took a mattress from a nearby house and set my sons motorcycles on fire. At the same time, they put my house on flame. I cried as I watched my house reduced to ashes. They asked me to climb the trunk of their car. I told them I was unable so they pushed me inside. We drove to the cooperative where they picked up some other teenage girls and forced into the trunk of the car. As we lay down, one of the gendarme officials climbed on my leg smashing them badly. I shouted son an he said I was not his mother that his mother was on Douala…” other residuals of Njinikom also told The SUN how they had been witnesses of military brutality and destruction.
Ambazonia destruction
Moving to the Njinikom gendarmerie post, remnant from the DO’s car rested right in front of the military office. According to the gendarmes on duty, the Ambazonia fighters had set the car alight some days back. Also around the entrance to the gendarmerie, a frightful coffin had been placed along the road. This caused panic amongst the gendarme officers who avoided that path since the coffin was laid there two days ago. The officers also narrated that the Ambazonia fighters had launched several attacks at them in the past
The chairman’s remark
After going through the daring journey in Njinikom on Saturday July 7, the National Chairman of the SDF Party said “…I was happy that we could still meet some people living in Kom land. I encourage them to keep up the courage. I was not very comfortable with what I saw especially with the whole fleet of vehicles that I saw by the road burnt. With all these destruction, Ambazonia boys accuse the arm force and the arm force accuses the Ambazonia boys. But if these two people are exchanging accusations at each other I accuse Mr Biya because he is the architect of all this”
Chairman Fru Ndi visited Njinikom to celebrate his birthday on July 7. He continued the celebration at his residence with family members and friends.
