By EBOB ARAH
The Lebialem and Kupe-Muanenguba divisions of the Southwest region have been at the center of violence throughout the week, where gun battles took over community life.
Gun exchanges between Cameroon’s defence forces and the Ambazonia fighters have been the order of the day, and this flared as councilors went to the polls on March 25 to vote senators.
Hundreds of troops have been stationed in Lebialem, in a bid to create a serene atmosphere, following recent attacks from the Ambazonia fighters.
However, this has met with stiff opposition, which heightened on Thursday March 22, when the Senior Divisional Officer’s convoy was attacked by the Ambazonian fighters. The SDO, Zakari Ungitoh was shot at, and the regional delegate of Lands killed on the spot, and others seriously wounded. Reports have it that the SDO is currently receiving treatment in Douala.
The entire population of Menji at press time, had vanished into thin air, as the totally deserted area is occupied solely by the military.
In Kupe Muanenguba, precisely Bangem, since the early hours of Friday March 23, it was reported that Ambazonian fighters made their way into the town, to prevent minister Elung Paul and his delegation from entering ahead of the senatorial elections. However, they were faced with the heavy military troops accompanying the minister, which eventually lengthened the gun exchanges right into the night. This exchanges it is alleged, let to the deaths of one civilian and a soldier.
On Saturday, calm seemed to have returned, but Sunday saw fresh violence which characterized the senatorial elections. Reports from Bangem say three civilians were gunned down. The terrified Bangem population disappeared into the bushes and other villages for safety.
The situation in Bangem became all the more worrying as politicians and administrative officials used the tense atmosphere to settle personal and political scores. Houses of particularly individuals suspected to be sympathizers of the separatist movement were allegedly pointed at by local political elites.
This was the case of a certain Mesumbe Epie Cirus, a local opposition leader and staunch critique of the local administration. Soldiers are said to have sprayed his house with bullets without warning.
Mesumbe told The SUN that when he heard gunshot rending the air in Bangem, he took refuge under his bed. He said he heard soldier yelling out his name and calling him out as a secessionist. His brother was not very fortunate as he sustained bullet wounds on his left arm.
Mesumbe told The SUN in a phone conversation that he managed to smuggle himself, with others through the bushes to leave the town. He is very confident that he was targeted because of his political affiliations and some of his utterances regarding the Anglophone crisis.
As at press time, the entire town of Bangem had reportedly been deserted and the population had emptied itself into nearby villages and bushes.