By Sah Terence Animbom
The Anglophone crisis has become an opportunistic affair as many persons are benefitting from the situation to become who they shouldn’t be or to get what is not meant for them. Because of the Anglophone crisis, persons have had top government positions, top administrative officials have reportedly inflated their bank accounts with cash, and many seemingly do not even want to see the crisis come to an end.
In the same light many separatists groups have come up with diverse ambitions that the Anglophone community is seemingly lost in the whole drama of hit and run, kidnappings and demand for ransom. In Belo sub division an armed robbery group is reported to be terrorizing the area in the name of Ambazonia Defense forces.
Between Monday March 21 to Sunday April 1, clashes have been reported between the supposedly genuine Ambazonian fighters and the armed gangs who pass for Ambazonian fighters in Belo sub division. Though the alleged killing of the later by the former is reported, there have been similar activities of kidnap and demand for ransom by the supposedly genuine Amba soldiers.
A councilor from the SDF run Njinikom Council, Bangha Mercy, wife to a Pastor was kidnapped on Tuesday March 27 at her Muloin residence in the presence of her husband by well armed men, believed to be separatist fighters in Boyo. They came to her residence and called her by name asking her to come out and surrender herself to the Ambazonia Defense forces.
When her Husband the pastor tried to ask if there was any problem they told him to stay off and that, they came for his wife. They gave the man of God a phone number and told him to prepare 1.5 million and bring to them.
His wife was ferried off on a motorbike to a destination that many believe to be Anyajua in Belo Sub division. Recounting her ordeal after her release the next day, after a ransom CFA 1million was allegedly paid, the councilor said she was not harmed and was not maltreated either. She says the camp where they are based has cooks and people to take care of those kidnapped.
It is also alleged that the Amba Boys went to her home after her release to ask her not to be scared of them and that they are not out to harm people but to defend them.
A driver who plies the Bamenda-Fundong highway narrated on Sunday morning to The Sun Newspaper the ordeal he and his passengers went through in the hands of the Amba Boys at Ashing in Belo sub Division at about 9:00PM on Saturday night on their way from Bamenda.
He said when they approached a very conspicuous speed brake located around the ST. Bede’s College Ashing Kom, they saw eight well armed men with machetes, axes, daggers, and guns who halted them and suddenly, one of them gave three loud slaps to his car with his machete sending shockwaves via the spines of every passenger.
The passengers were all asked to step out of the car and as soon as they stepped out they started handing over their belongings especially phones to the strange guys but shockingly they rejected the offer and told them they were not there to collect anything from anybody.
The armed men placed their machetes on all passengers as if to detect a signal and later told them to enter the car and leave. They told them that they are looking for someone but have not seen the person among them.
The only person who was brutalized is one man who allegedly recognized one of the Amba boys and out rightly called him by name and was given serious whips with the flat surface of the machete on the back as well as some very solid slaps. He was however allowed to continue his journey to Fundong.
Before letting them go they said they were aware that the passengers will inform the military of their presence at that location. They encouraged them to tell the military that they are waiting for them and that they should ask them to come quickly.
Certain parts of Anyajua in Belo sub division have become a no go zone for both military and some civilians considered by the separatist fighters to be traitors. It is said that the Amba boys feel very free in the community and hide from nothing or run from nothing which has caused many to be fleeing the community for fear of military invasion.
