As the crisis in the North West and South West regions, which has morphed into an armed conflict, rages on, residents in some localities in the conflict-hit regions have been caught between atrocities committed by separatist fighters and the military clampdown on suspected activists and sympathisers of the Anglophone cause with the use of defence and security forces.

Security operatives have been indiscriminately arresting Anglophone youths and family members. Many in the hard hit crisis zones have been brutally shot to death by both military men in uniform and unidentified gunmen.

As we went to press we gathered that the entire population of Tali 1, a village in Upper Bayang Subdivision, Manyu Division, South West Region is still to come to terms with an incident that happened in the village, leading to the brutal killing of two brothers, Orock Mbu Jones and Orock Eyong Clyde, by unknown gunmen on April 17, 2025.

According to reports, the unidentified gunmen raided the family residence of activists in the village, brutalising, torturing and coercing them to furnish them with information concerning the whereabouts of their activist brother, Orock Acruba Randy, a Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, activist who had long gone underground and his whereabouts remains cloudy since 2018.

Out of frustration because Orock Randy family members’ resisted to disclose any information that could lead to his whereabouts being disclosed, eyewitnesses narrated under conditions that the unidentified gunmen, suspected to be military men, took Orock Mbu Jones and Orock Eyong Clyde to a nearby bush and shot them dead.

The entire population of Tali I village remains restless as the same gunmen still continue to make impromptu visits to the locality, with threats and harassments being the order of the day. They have vowed that they will keep up ransacking the residences of family members of SCNC activist, Orock Acruba Randy, until they produce him or disclose his whereabouts.

The population of Tali I village have already concluded that it is now crystal clear that the life of Orock Acruba Randy is perpetually in danger and he risks being killed anytime he is found anywhere in the national territory.

It should be recalled that Orock Acruba Randy’s whereabouts remains cloudy since 2018 due to his activism with the SCNC, a movement known for articulating against the marginalisation of the Anglophones minority by the Francophones majority and above all clamouring for the restoration of the independence of the former British Southern Cameroons. Despite Orock Acruba Randy’s rich educational background and a promising marketing career, he, just like many of his peers joined the SCNC.

Orock Acruba’s activism with the SCNC saw him being arrested by the military in Buea alongside others in October 2017 for taking part in a demonstration organised by the SCNC that was banned by the government in January 2017 at the wake of the teachers and lawyers strike with some of its leaders arrested. Orock Acruba Randy, alongside those arrested, were tortured, molested, brutalised and whisked to detention cells and accused of destabilising the country.

Family sources say that despite the fact that Orock Acruba Randy was released after three months of detention in inhumane and degrading conditions, he still remained undeterred by the threats to stop his SCNC activism.

A family member, on condition of anonymity, recounted that in March 2018, about seven masked men raided their residence in Kumba and demanded sensitive SCNC documents simply because he was a secretary. As he resisted to hand over the documents, he was subjected to all forms of violence that left him unconscious thereby forcing Orock Acruba Randy to probably leave Kumba for good due to trauma.

Reports say this situation in the North West and South West Regions has caused many to migrate to French -speaking towns and the cities in Cameroon, while others have fled to neighbouring countries as refugees.

Defence and security forces have reportedly engaged in extrajudicial killings, random looting, shooting, torture, molestation using disproportionate and discriminating force, abusing and arresting protesters, burning more than 400 villages, 800 houses displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians, attacking hospitals beating and raping women and girls.

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More and more youths caught in the web of the ongoing armed conflict in the North West and South West rages, are fleeing to safe havens and most especially where the respect of human rights is prime, as political witch-hunting and scores-settling has taken centre stage.

Some of the youths are victim of circumstances. They have been tagged as blacklegs and declared wanted by separatist fighters because they have rejected their call to join them pick up arms against the state.

Meanwhile, the military, on the other hand, has declared some of the youths wanted for not only siding and collaborating with the separatist fighters but have been involved in the pacific demonstrations and protests called by Anglophone teachers and Common Law lawyers.

These suspected activists, who have been arrested, have been either jailed or killed and their homes razed to the ground and majority of the family relatives killed. Many have gone underground, the whereabouts of many remains cloudy. Homes of suspected activists, who are abroad for fear of the unknown, are constantly being investigated as the military keeps on making impromptu visits thus injecting constant fear.

The alleged activists including teachers, lawyers, health personnel, journalists and businessmen, who have been considered as dangerous and threats to the public have been declared wanted. The population has equally been urged to be vigilant and report to the closest gendarmerie, police and military stations. The activists abound and a list bearing the names of these alleged activists is already making rounds in the hands of the military as they have been placed under military searchlight and declared wanted.

One of the victims caught in the web amidst the Anglophone crisis that metamorphosed into an armed conflict in 2017 is Efundem Dorane Orock. Reports from family sources says the whereabouts of the Kosala, Kumba-based private teacher remains cloudy.

At press time, both the military and separatist fighters had declared her wanted just like many other youths in the two restive Regions of the North West and South West.

THE SUN gathered that upon graduation from the University and unable to secure a job through government official exams, Efundem decided to earn a living as a private teacher. With the Anglophone crisis, Efundem, like most other teachers, joined in the pacific protests and demonstrations which unfortunately met with military reprisal, thus forcing her and others to go into hiding for their lives.

Reports say Efundem and colleagues were later identified as teachers at a security checkpoint while on their way to Kumba from their hideout. They were arrested, molested, tortured and detained under horrible conditions on grounds that they are disturbing the peace of the country.

Efundem Dorane Orock was released two days later after having allegedly paid a huge amount of money to the authorities, though sexually assaulted. We gathered that even though Efundem relocated out of Kumba, the separatist fighters immediately tagged her “blackleg” and threatened to deal with her on grounds that she has abandoned the struggle and is acting like a government spy.

Life wasn’t the best for her, just like other Anglophones who have become Internal Displaced Persons, IDPs, due to the armed conflict and she decided to relocate back to Kumba, and celebrated her marriage in January 2023.

However, shortly after the marriage ceremony, she was kidnapped by separatist fighters for having abandoned the struggle. Her family paid a huge amount as ransom for her to gain her freedom.

For fear of the unknown, Efundem decided to relocate out of Kumba, but unfortunately at a security checkpoint she was again identified as one of the teachers protesting against the government. Efundem is reported to have escaped at the checkpoint following a sporadic exchange of guns between the separatist fighters and the military. Reports say Efundem and her husband settled in Yaounde, but were later arrested and detained by the police and were released after serious negotiation.

However, following a robbery of a wealthy man in their Yaounde neighbourhood, the entire neighbourhood, especially houses of Anglophone, were ransacked and properties destroyed. Efundem had no other option than to escape out of the country, taking into consideration her past encounters and experiences with the military and separatist fighters.

The country is now considered unsafe by many Anglophones in the diaspora who fear arrest or death if they return to the country. While the Anglophone crisis continues to escalate, International organisations and other western powers have called on the Government to address the root cause of the crisis through genuine and inclusive dialogue.

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