BY Lucy Lima
More and more activists of the Southern Cameroon National Council, SCNC, a movement clamouring for the total independence of Southern Cameroon within the crisis – stricken regions of Cameroon have resorted to going underground after surviving myriads of arrests, molestation, torture and detention under horrible inhumane conditions from the Cameroon military for allegedly collaborating with the separatist fighters commonly known as “Amba Boys” who have pick up arms against the state fighting for the restoration of the independence of the statehood of former British Southern Cameroon termed Ambazonia.
As the arm conflict in the restive regions of the North West and South West rages on, despite the ban of the SCNC in January 2017, the Government of Cameroon has announced fresh plans to arrest more SCNC activists for them to face persecution and prosecution, and subsequently hand them draconian jail term. These activists include but not limited to Mancho Bibixy, who staged a coffin revolution at the Liberty Square in Bamenda to protest against the marginalisation and economic deprivation of Anglophones, Penn Terence, the leader of the self – styled state of Ambazonia, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and members of his cabinet, Barrister Eyambe Ebai, Tassang Wilfred and Dr Nfor Ngala Nfor one of the founding fathers of the SCNC.
Reports hold that the massacre of seven children at the Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy in Kumba, last October 2020, by unknown gunmen has made life in the region unbearable for the civilian population. Despite this development and other sad and regrettable incidents like random killing of youths and innocent civilians, and the burning of houses and villages, by both the military and separatist fighters leaving many Internally Displayed Persons, the government is making all efforts to crack down on the alleged separatist fighters and SCNC activists. The government has already considered them as prime suspects and enemies of the state who want to distabilise the state.
Many SCNC activists have already been earmarked for arrest, with panic griping their family members whose relatives have been declared wanted by the powers that be. This is because if the earmarked activists are apprehended, their lives will be “wasted” or better still neutralized. Family sources disclosed that the whereabout of their relations considered as SCNC activists remains cloudy as many of them have gone to areas where the respect of human rights is prime. The wife of one of the SCNC activists Keptchouang Ngioko Nicole, narrates that her husband, Ngatsi Tombou Ghislain , who joined the secessionist group in 2010, and was voted the SCNC Public Relations Officer for Kumba in Meme Division South West Region, has on several occasions been subjected to several arrests, molestation torture and detained under inhumane conditions.
under police searchlight.
Nicole disclosed that after her husband went underground in September 2014, thanks to the Intervention of a Police officer, names withheld for security reasons, they have not known peace. The activist’s wife relocated to Yaounde late 2020 for fear of the unknown, after she informed that an arrest warrant has been issued against her. While in Yaounde, Nicole said she was picked up in mixed police control check point around the popular Mokolo Market. While in police custody, she was identified by a police officer who had once worked in Kumba. The officer narrated how her husband, Ghislain, who suffered several detentions in Kumba has been declared wanted by the Government. Despite her refusal of having any link with Ghislain and Kumba, the police was bent on detaining her. It is at this level that it became clear to her that they have already been tagged.
Reports equally hold that Njikam Ahmed Ndam, a popular Kumba based businessman who joined the Secessionist movement in 2010, has since been under security searchlight due to his frontline role in the SCNC manifestation for the restoration of the independence of former British Southern Cameroon. His role within the movement has landed him several times in confrontations with security operatives amidst sporadic gun shots between the military and separatist fighters.
The most pathetic incident was in 2018 following a military raid in Hausa quarters, Kumba, Meme Division South West Region of Cameroon where the popular NDAM & SONS Business Complex own by Njikam Ahmed Ndam was razed to the ground. According to dependable sources, Njikam was detained with plans to be whisked to Kondengui maximum prison in Yaounde as prime suspect for the bomb explosion in Douala, Littoral Region of Cameroon on January 31, 2021, but he disappeared under unclear circumstances.
Ever since his disappearance security operatives have been making frantic efforts to arrest Njikam Ahmed and to charge him before the military tribunal for secessionist, and terrorism related offences. As we went to press, other SCNC activists and suspected separatist fighters have equally been earmarked, for apprehension. Names such as Silenou Fokou Thiery , Mbah Tifu, Sakwe James and many others may never be seen again as the conflict in the restive regions shows no sign of ending any time soon.