Heavily armed Ambazonia separatists have set a taxi ablaze at the former St. Maria Soledad Hospital entrance in the Ntarinkon neighbourhood of Bamenda 2 subdivision this evening. The attack, which took place around 6pm, involved militants emerging from the neighbourhood and firing several shots, causing widespread panic.
Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene as residents fled for their lives. “We ran away as fast as our legs could carry us, we don’t know the whereabouts of the driver,” reported one terrified witness. The fate of the taxi driver remains unknown at this time.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the city of Bamenda. A faction of separatists had recently issued a ban on the circulation of cars after 6 PM in Bamenda. This was in apparent response to an earlier decree by the SDO for Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh, which indefinitely bans the movement of motorbikes within Bamenda 1, 2, and 3 between 6 PM and 6:30 AM. The separatists’ actions today appear to be a direct challenge to the SDO’s restrictions, but consequently, they target innocent civilians.
The burning of the taxi and the gunfire have severely disrupted the neighbourhood. This is because of the rampant reports of instability and unrest that has resulted in several civilian deaths over the last few weeks. The sudden escalation of violence has left residents on edge, fearing further attacks.
One such incident of attacks on taxis took place in Muea on the outskirts of Buea, in the early part of September 2023, and resulted in several civilian fatalities.
