– President Biya: A heinous act committed by cowardly criminals
– PM Dion Ngute: Such wicked and barbaric act must be firmly condemned
– Population takes to the streets to protest dastardly act
By Sah Terence Animbom
Gruesome images inundated WhatsApp fora Sunday, February 11, 2024 afternoon following the detonation of an artisanal Improvised Explosive Device,IED, planted at the Nkambe Municipal Grandstand in Nkambe, Donga-Mantung Division of the NorthWest Region of Cameroon.
It is highly suspected that the device was planted by armed separatist fighters who are strongly against the celebration of any official days in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. The device went off during the traditional Youth Day march past parade when students of some secondary schools in Nkambe were marching pass the grandstand.
At least 50 persons were severely injured with at least nine loosing either a limb, an arm or both limbs. As at Sunday, one Student Cherish Limnuyu, a 15-year-old student of GHS Nwangri was confirmed dead while by Monday afternoon, a lady who lost both limbs was also reported to be dead. The SUN could not get an authority to confirm news of the second death as administration has laid very strict restrictions on the circulation of any information surrounding the conditions of the affected.
While no separatist groups have owned up to the incidence yet, Cameroon’s government has blamed the separatists for the macabre act and have called on the population of Nkambe to collaborate with the administration in order to fish out those responsible for the act.
Until Sunday, Nkambe had remained the only town in the North West region that had witnessed little or no high scale violent killings or attacks in the wake of the Anglophone crisis. They have defied separatist orders since 2017 and had gained for themselves the title of “North West’s most peaceful town”. “Sunday’s incidence is the most traumatising Nkambe has known since the start of this crisis.
People have lost their limbs completely, some their arms, others a limb or an arm and others are just severely injured and battling between life and death” Nformi a resident of Nkambe tells The SUN Newspaper on phone. The social media videos show a total state of pandemonium after the detonation of the device. The worst state of panic inhabitants of Nkambe have ever known since the start of the armed conflict, as explained by Nformi, our source in Nkambe.
Reacting to Sunday’s happening, women went out to the streets Monday to denounce the attack, cursing the authors of the bomb and calling on those concerned to put an end to the bloodshed. An ecumenical service was also organized by the churches in Nkambe, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic and Pentecostals. They prayed for the victims and for peace to return to Cameroon.
President Paul Biya made a tweet Monday evening on his Twitter now X handle condemning the act and extending condolences to the affected families and victims. “A heinous act was committed by cowardly criminals in Nkambe, North-West Region while young Cameroonians were celebrating the day dedicated to them. I strongly condemn this terrorist attack. I convey my sincere condolences to the family of Cherish Limnuyu, a 15-year-old student of GHS Nwangri. I equally wish a speedy recovery to the injured”, his tweet reads.
Cameroon’s PM Joseph Dion Ngute also reacted to the incidence on his Twitter now X handle condemning the act. “It was with great emotion that I learned of the unfortunate event that took place yesterday, 11 February, in Nkambe, Donga-Mantung Division of the NorthWest Region. These acts of terrorism, which occurred on the very day of the festivities dedicated to Cameroon’s youth, and the day after the Message from the President of the Republic, His Excellency President_Paul_BIYA, to this important section of the population, were clearly intended to disrupt the prevailing patriotic atmosphere and stir fear in peoples’ hearts. Such wickedness deserves to be firmly condemned. The government of the Republic reaffirms its determination to put all these criminals out of action in order to restore security and peace in the country, particularly in the regions witnessing crises. I would like to express the Government’s sympathy and condolences to the families affected by this cowardly and barbaric act, which took the life of a young compatriot and injured around forty people, four of whom are in a critical condition. This is deplorable!” His message ends.