BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI
The Government has declared dead the Divisional Officer for Batibo Subdivision, Marcel Namata Diteng who was abducted by separatist gunmen on February 11, 2018. The whereabouts of the civil administrator has since remained in doubts.
On June 20, 2018, the Prime Minister, Head of Government Philemon Yang unveiled a “Government Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan in the North West and South West Regions 2018-2019” in which the dead of the Batibo DO is announced.
On pages six and seven of the plan, government says “administrative and traditional authorities have been regular targets of the terrorists who, in their propaganda, have continued to call for the murder of these representatives of the State”.
In citing examples of administrative authorities that have been victims of the activities of the armed groups, government states that the Divisional Officer for Batibo was kidnapped on February 11, 2018 and later assassinated by his captors.
Since this announcement by government, the separatists have maintained sealed lips on the fate of the Batibo DO whose corpse is yet to be returned to his family if truly he has been assassinated. Also, the separatists are yet to provide evidence that the DO was not killed on the same day he was kidnapped.
Other instances of hostilities against administrative officials cited in the June 20, 2018 Humanitarian Plan includes:
“20th March 2018, attack on the convoy of the Lebialem Senior Divisional Officer at Mockmbie; The Senior Divisional Officer was seriously wounded and the Divisional Delegate of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure killed; 22 April 2018, attack on the convoy of the Governor of the South West Region in Lebialem Division; 20th May 2018, kidnapping of the 2nd Assistant Divisional Officer of Lebialem;17 March 2018, kidnapping of Professor Ivo LEKE TAMBO, Chairman of the GCE Board Council, in Alou Sub-division.”
Government reports that at least 15 attacks have been carried out against traditional rulers among them: “February 5, 2018, assassination of the 3rd Class Chief of Esukutan in Toko Sub-division; February 19, 2018, burning down of the residence of the traditional chief of Etam (Kupe-Muanenguba); February 13 and 24, 2018, burning down of the residences of the Chiefs of Myerem in Akwaya Sub-division (Manyu) and Nguti (Kupe-Muanenguba).”
The abduction of the Mayor of Bangem was however not mentioned in the government report. Suspected Ambazonia fighters kidnapped Mayor Simon Ojeh Ekuh of the Bangem Council alongside his deputy, Enongene Epie Manga most probably on May 19, 2018.
In a video thought to have been sent out by the separatists, both men were accused by the fighters of trying to convince members of the public to take part in the May 20 celebrations. In two separate videos circulating on social media, the two men could be seen sitting on the floor in a place believed to be a forest, with both hands tied to their backs with guns pointed at them.
Both men in separate videos say their crime is that they were “forcing the youths to march on May 20 and collaborating with the administration for a successful 46th National Day.” They claim in the videos that they were being well taken care of by the armed group. We learnt both men were kidnapped in Ndibsi Village in Bangem Subdivision.
Statistics in the PM’s report shows that as of June 11, 2018, 123 attacks had been carried out claiming 84 lives, including 32 soldiers, 42 gendarmes, 7 police officers, 2 prison warders and 1 eco-guard assassinated in a cowardly manner.
Several victims were mutilated or beheaded and their corpses displayed on social media. “These devoted civil servants, whose job was to protect citizens and their property, died in the discharge of their sacred duties. Their comrades are carrying on with their duty to preserve peace and the safety of the population with courage and determination,” he said.
The PM on behalf of government announced a FCFA 12.7 Billion Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan for the North West and South West Regions. The call for solidarity to finance the humanitarian plan, according to the Prime Minister, is not new, because, a similar show was recorded in the case of the humanitarian crisis caused by Boko Haram.
Going by the PM, areas of priority will include: Protection of displaced persons; food and basic needs; healthcare; education; the resumption of the economic and agricultural activities; housing and the reconstitution of individual administrative documents.