Escalation of Anglophone Crisis: Separatist fighters intensify deadly attacks against Cameroon forces

By Chembe Muluh

Deadly clashes between separatists and government forces continue in the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon with the escalation of the Anglophone Crisis, which erupted in October 2016 over corporate demands by teachers and Common law advocates.

Anglophones staging  peace protests against perceived marginalisationon on 22nd September,2017 in Northwest and Southwest regions while President Paul Biya same day was in New Yorkaddressing the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly 

But the Cameroon government has called upon the separatist fighters to drop their weapons and return home or face the wrath of its determined forces.

Just recently reports said a police man in mufti was ambushed and fatally attacked in Bamenda by a certain Mbu Joseph, said to be a separatist fighter.

The killing of the policeman whose name we could not get immediately led to a manhunt by security agents for the separatist fighter and his girlfriend, Rhodesse  The girlfriend had reportedly been arrested in May 2020 and detained in Bamenda.  Released later on bail, she reportedly jumped bail and has been on the run. Security agents are said to be searching for her since her disappearance.

 Many other incidents of separatists ambushing and killing Cameroon Security forces have been reported in the two English-speaking regions.

Pundits now liken the socio-political crisis, which started as peaceful protests, to an armed conflict as the death toll rises.

The International rights organizations report that over 1000 people (both civilians and security forces) have already been killed as a result of fighting between Cameroon forces and armed separatists ( Amba Boys), who are demanding  the independence of the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon, formerly known Southern Cameroons.

The peaceful protests against the perceived marginalization of the minority English-speaking Cameroonians (Anglophones) by the majority French-speaking Cameroonians (Francophones) turned violent when security forces violently confronted anti-government protesters in the streets of Buea and Bamenda

As protests continued, the Cameroon Government, on 17^th January 2017, banned the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC),a pressure group  that was created in 1994 to ensure the restoration of the independence of Southern Cameroons .

 The Biya government labels the SCNC as a secessionist movement and accuses it of fuelling behind-the-scene Anglohone protests.

 Barrister  Felix  Agbor Nkongho (in suit)  who coordinated anti-governemnet protests was arrested on 17 January 2017  and jailed for eight monthsin Yaounde  .He was realsed from prison on August 30,2017 and   he arrived Buea on September 1,2017   to a hilarious welcome

According to rights organizations, about fifty thousand Cameroonians are seeking asylum in neighboring Nigeria and over half a million  people are internally Displaced people ( IDPs)

Thousands of others are hiding in bushes as the military is reportedly raiding houses and villages, suspected to be hideouts for separatists. Anglophones in the Diaspora have been accused by the Cameroon Government of instigating and funding separatist fighters.

 The Government’s blacklist of leading Anglophone activists abroad include:Mark Berata, Cho Ayaba,Tapang Ivo,Akwanga Ebenezar,Chris Anu and John Mbah Akuroh

As the Government hunts for masked separatist-activists, many Anglophones abroad are reportedly scared to return home; they fear that they could be arrested and prosecuted on secession/terrorism-related charges