By Elah Geofrey Mbonale
Last week has been one of horror in the North West and South West regions characterized by unending violence, kidnappings, burnings, lootings and killings. Many civilians are trapped as clashes rage-on between the military and gunmen who identify themselves as Ambazonia Defence forces.
On Saturday, March 17, The Board Chair of the Cameroon General Certificate of Education, GCE, Prof. Ivo Leke Tambo was kidnapped in Lebialem by Ambazonian forces.
In a video making rounds on social media, the board chair is seen stripped almost naked in a bush, being filmed by masked men believed to be members of separatists Ambazonia Defense Force.
According to sources in Lebialem, Professor Ivo Leke Tambo was leading a delegation on Saturday morning to his native Lebialem to organise a ceremony to thank the Head of State for his appointment and that of Paul Tasong.
His delegation was stopped on the road by gunmen as they left Alou for Menji as heavy fighting ensued between security forces and gendarmes who struggled in vain to defend the delegation.
Local sources also say, the former Mayor of Alou, Fogab Pierre was shot and wounded as he tried to remove barricades on the road.
Another convoy, purportedly made up of students from the University of Dschang, hired to swell the crowd at the planned ceremony was equally ambushed by separatist fighters.
The bus carrying about 30 students and another vehicle were vandalized. The panic-stricken entourage was made to return on foot after serious intimidation.
Professor Ivo Leke Tambo was appointed board chairman of the Cameroon GCE board on January 29 2018, taking over from Professor Peter Alange Abety.
He was officially installed into office by the minister of Secondary Education, Jean Massena Ngalle Bibehe on February 13, 2018, at the GCE Board Head Office in Buea.
Before his appointment, Prof. Leke Tambo was Secretary General at the Ministry of Basic Education. He had earlier served at the Ministry of Secondary Education in the same capacity. Prof. Ivo Leke Tambo was born in Lebialem Division of the South West region in 1951.
In a related incident, the house of Paul Tasong, recently appointed Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT was equally set ablaze by yet to be identified individuals but many attribute the arson attack to Ambazonia Defence forces within the division.
Minister Paul Tasong was in Lebialem to launch senatorial elections in the division. During his stay in Lebialem, he allegedly insinuated that rather than burn schools in the division, the youths should burn his house. The separatists apparently took this statement literally and burnt down his house while he had already left the division.
Professor Ivo Leke Tambo is the third high profile personality kidnapped in recent months by separatist fighters in the North West and South West regions.
The Divisional Officer, DO for Batibo, Diteng Marcel Namata was abducted on February 11, 2018 by gunmen at Kruku Village on his way home from some supervisory works at the grand stand prior to the commencement of Youth Day celebrations.
His car was set ablaze and pictures of him in the bush surfaced later on social media with separatist fighters claiming responsibility for the abduction.
The North West regional delegate for social affairs, Animbom Aaron, was also kidnapped last February 25, 2018 in Batibo by suspected separatist fighters.
Animbom Aaron was kidnapped on February 25 in Batibo as he was returning from a funeral in the village, just over a week after the Divisional Officer for Batibo Marcel Namata Diteng was equally abducted.
In a video, allegedly released by the Ambazonia Defence Forces recently, he called on the government through the Minister of Social Affairs to show the arrested Ambazonia leaders to the public so as to save his life.
The delegate who was seemingly in the same clothing as the day of his abduction said; “I am Animbom Aaron Yong, Regional Delegate of Social Affairs for the North West Region. I am pleading to the Minister of Social Affairs to intervene that the leaders of Ambazonia, that were arrested and we are told that they were brought to Yaounde, should be shown to the public to show that the people are alive, because I am here and they have given me 48 hours that I will be sacrificed if these leaders are not shown to be alive. I have been kidnapped by the ADF and I am pleading to the Minister of Social Affairs to intervene at the level of hierarchy so that my life can be spared.”
In other parts of the South West region, there was a week-long tense atmosphere in Manyu, Kupe-Muanenguba, Ndian and Meme.
Persistent clashes between the military and separatist fighters have displaced many villagers who are now seeking refuge in the bush.
Early last week, a brigade commander of the gendarmerie, Adjudant chef Lonsi was gunned down in Nguti and another student gendarme wounded by separatist fighters, three of the assailants were equally killed.
There were also reports of gun battle along the Kumba-Ekondo Titi stretch of road. Villagers are reported to have emptied in to the bushes.
Some workers of a road construction company in charge of the Ekondo Titi road are said to have been kidnapped by the separatist fighters, they include some nationals and a few expatriates.
The SUN also learned that houses in several villages in the outskirts of Kumba were set ablaze by the military. Some villages are said to be completely razed. The SUN cannot independently confirm the information.
Also, a restriction on the circulation of motorbikes by the minister of territorial administration in some parts of the South West region has made life completely unbearable for civilians who are seeking to flee from the violence.
Separatist fighters on their part have also banned the movement of vehicules in Ndian division as retaliation to the minister’s order.
It should be noted that motorbikes are the preferred means of transportation in these areas since most of the roads are in very bad shape.
As at press time, there were reports of heavy military mobilization towards Lebialem to secure the area and try to find the kidnapped GCE Board chair.