Lenjuo Charles Yombi, a businessman from Bamali Ndop Ngoketunjia Division, has shared the harrowing ordeal of his father’s abduction by Ambazonian separatist fighters. Yombi, who resides in Tiko, South West Cameroon, recounts the events leading to his father’s disappearance, shedding light on the escalating violence in the region.
“My father has been abducted by Amba fighters for no reason other than ransom,” Yombi told MMI.
Ambazonia Separatists accused
He accused Ambazonian fighters of abducting his 86-year-old father. Yombi told MMI that the fighters, loyal to General Colabo (Tatah Leonard and another fighter, Ndoamboh Divine), seized his father on Friday with no justification.
According to Yombi, he has maintained a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict for independence, never engaging in activities that could provoke the fighters. During a recent visit to his village, Yombi recounts how individuals claiming to represent General Colabo, identified as Tatoh Leonard, lured him away from a gathering and confronted him.
“They started asking me for two guns, threatening me with accusations of hoarding money and refusing to support them,” Yombi explains, expressing his fear and confusion at the situation.
“They started asking me for 2 guns,” Yombi said. “I have never been a fighter nor a Cameroonian soldier.”
The incident drew attention from bystanders, leading the abductors to release Yombi temporarily, instructing him to calm the villagers for further discussions the next day. However, gripped by fear, Yombi fled the village immediately, only to face persistent threats from the fighters.
“Up till now, I have not used any words to hurt them, but they went ahead and picked my 86-year-old father,” Yombi laments, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the abduction.
No Links with the Government
Yombi stresses that his family has never engaged in government service, asserting their innocence in the conflict. He implicates Ambazonian fighters, suggesting they may be answerable to Samuel Sako Ikome, believed to be based in the United States.
Yombi’s claims are part of a larger narrative of violence in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions. Separatists fighting for the independence of Ambazonia, a breakaway state, have intensified their attacks on unarmed civilians in recent months and face accusations of human rights abuses against civilians.
Yombi’s case showcases the struggles of civilians trapped in the crossfire of Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis. Yombi’s father was targeted for reasons that remain unclear, and attempts to contact General Colabo or Samuel Sako for comment failed.
