By Moma Sandrine
Over the week, Mbengwi, Chief town of the Momo Division in North West Region of Cameroon, has experienced series of gunshot exchanges between the military and suspected separatist fighters. This has resulted in several injuries and at least two dead recorded. To this effect, many people have been forced to flee their homes, to a safer heaven out of the town.
On Friday August 3, after sounds of gun shots were heard from Mile 19 Mbengwi, findings have it that two civilians had been killed in the exchanges; one of whom is a certain truck driver, Enoh Tanjong and the other, Tah Elvis, a bike rider.
Following the unrest in Mbengwi throughout last week, on Saturday August 4th, a larger proportion of the population could be seen leaving the divisional headquarters for other areas after it was rumored that they should leave the town for fear of what the separatist fighters might do. Scores of persons, men, women and children could be seen scrambling for a seat in cars at Mbon Motor Park, which had just entered Mbengwi from Bamenda. As a result the fare was automatically increased from FCFA 500 to FCFA 1000.
As the mad rush for vehicles intensified, the men, women and children with travelling bags, boxes, mattresses and food stuff, could be seen panicking not knowing what their fate in the next minutes was going to look like. At this point even the cargo vehicle that is mainly used for the transportation of goods began transporting the helpless passengers and their belongings. While some traveled to Bamenda, others with their luggage on their head, headed for different villages which they considered safer.
The SUN gathered that huge tree trunks had been felled by suspected separatist fighters, blocking access into Bome, Medig, Lower Medig and Gutah zone of the Meta clan. Unconfirmed sources say that the separatist fighters have multiplied in their numbers in this area. Following the felling down of trees, a high tension cable was disconnected along Bome zone, resulting to total blackout for several days.
As a result of the present state of Mbengwi, there has been a mass influx of the Mbororos from the town to Acha Tugi this where unconfirmed reports say two of whom had been killed by thieves after they fled their home. The supposed dead include a father and son who tried defending themselves from the thieves.