Security forces dismantled a gang of suspected armed robbers who specialised in assaulting passengers in taxis across Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, which faces rising insecurity.
Patrol officers from the Yaounde 2 Gendarmerie Company arrested individuals during the night of March 29 to 30, 2025, in the Biyem-Assi neighbourhood.
Shortly after committing an assault, authorities apprehended three suspects and discovered several mobile phones, smartwatches, and daggers in their possession.
Following initial interrogations, investigators were able to track down a fourth accomplice hiding in Douala.
Victims Positively Identify Suspects
At least five of the victims positively identified all four suspects, who were reportedly well-known to authorities for similar offences.
“Once I took a taxi after arriving from Bamenda, my purse and everything were seized by the occupants, among them Ngono Merlin; I can still identify him,” said Rita, one of their victims.
A thorough search of the gang’s taxi revealed incriminating evidence, including multiple overlapping license plates, likely used to disguise the vehicle’s identity, and bloodstains on the rear passenger door. One of their victims, Madame Suzanne, provided matched details after attackers violently threw her out of the car, resulting in a hand injury.
Gang’s Modus Operandi Unveiled
According to Captain Mbida Thomas, Commander of the Yaounde 2 Gendarmerie Company, the gang’s modus operandi involved picking up unsuspecting passengers and robbing them at knifepoint in poorly lit areas along the road.
On Monday, April 7, 2025, the State Prosecutor at the Yaounde High Court brought the suspects before the media.
Residents of Yaoundé have praised the swift action of the security forces, though many say it is far from curbing the rate of crime in the city.
They hope that this action signals a significant shift in efforts to restore safety on the city’s streets, which have become increasingly frightening.
