Citizens discovered the lifeless body of an unidentified teenager by the roadside in Tiben on the morning of Sunday, December 15, along the Batibo-Widikum stretch of the Trans-African Highway, a key route linking Cameroon to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Local sources allege the deceased was a separatist fighter operating in the area. Witnesses reported that they found the teenager, estimated to be around 16-18 years old, wearing a military-style jacket.
Eyewitnesses report that a teenager shot while manning a separatist checkpoint alone in Tiben.
This is a practice common in the conflict-ridden North West Region.
“We only discovered the corpse lying by the roadside on Sunday morning. He was probably killed at night,” a traveler who passed by the scene recounted.
Increasing Tensions
The Batibo area has seen heightened tension in recent months as the military continues to crack down on separatists.
According to local sources, separatist fighters have continued to carry out violent activities with the aim of enforcing their control of Batibo Subdivision.
Residents and those who use the trans-African high way have raised concerns over the growing insecurity along the highway, which is crucial for trade and transportation.
Travellers avoid the route because of kidnappings, frequent roadblocks, and violent clashes between separatist fighters and government forces.
“I used to buy and sell in the markets along that stretch but I can no longer go there because I have been robbed of my little capital,” said Ma Agnes, a trader in second-handed clothing.
The discovery of the body adds to the grim realities of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis. The Anglophone crisis, sparked in 2016 by protests over perceived marginalization of English-speaking regions, has since escalated into armed conflict
This crisis has led to widespread violence, displacement, and loss of lives and livelihoods since it began in 2016.
Attempts to reach local authorities or military officials for comment were unsuccessful
