Authorities have released over 105 Maumu youths detained for weeks at the South West Gendarmerie Legion in Buea. Their release occurred late on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, following payments totalling over 4,650,000 CFA Francs. Out of the original 105 detained Maumu youths, authorities released 93 after they each paid 50,000 CFA francs. This decision sparked community outrage due to the financial strain on families and the emotional toll of the ordeal.
This release followed the earlier discharge of four women, a student journalist and a driver, all detained during a peaceful protest by women from Maumu. Sally Ndape, a human rights advocate, reported that these individuals encountered significant bail fees after the military tribunal presented them.
“The families and community members pooled funds to pay the 1,240,000 CFA francs demanded for the release of these individuals,” she said. For many, the detentions and steep financial demands compounded their sense of injustice.
Community Demands Accountability and Financial Restitution
Witnesses and advocates have documented severe abuses inflicted on detainees in gendarmerie custody. Accounts describe men and women beaten with cutlass, doused in urine, and subjected to degrading treatment. “We are exhausted and angry. The extortion and maltreatment have become unbearable,” a resident shared, capturing the community’s outrage. These accounts have led to renewed calls for government and military accountability.
In response, the community has issued demands to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, requesting the return of the nearly 5,890,000 CFA francs collected in bail fees and calling for urgent measures to end further extortion and violence.
Since October, the Gendarmerie Legion in Buea has intensified arrests in grassroots communities like Bonakanda, Mile 16, Muea, and Molyko. Although many residents acknowledge the gendarmerie’s role in maintaining security in the South West Region, reports of misconduct, excessive force, and human rights violations persist. Mass arrests are reportedly followed by a selective release process for those deemed “innocent,” leaving residents increasingly disillusioned and frustrated.
