An early morning attack at the popular Dreamland Cabaret in Bamenda has left multiple civilians injured in what witnesses suspect is the latest in a string of violent incidents linked to Ambazonia separatist fighters.
While no group has officially claimed responsibility, eyewitness accounts and victim testimonies suggest the assailants were armed separatists active in the Northwest region of Cameroon.
Multiple Victims Reported
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning. Videos and photographs obtained by Mimi Mefo Info (MMI) show at least five individuals with what appear to be serious gunshot wounds. Several were filmed receiving emergency treatment on-site before being transported to local hospitals.
“It happened so fast. We heard gunshots, then people started screaming,” said one survivor who requested anonymity for safety reasons. “Everyone ran in different directions. I saw at least two people bleeding badly.”
Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the number of casualties or whether there were any fatalities.
Pattern of Violence in Bamenda
The attack on Dreamland Cabaret follows a series of recent violent incidents in and around Bamenda, a city at the heart of Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis.
On June 16, 2025, armed separatist fighters, opened fire in the Mile 3/Nkwen neighbourhood, injuring at least three civilians. Weeks earlier, on April 9, a coordinated assault at Hospital Roundabout left one police officer dead and several others—including civilians—wounded. The Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), a major separatist faction, later claimed responsibility for that operation.
According to human rights monitors and local media, these attacks have increasingly targeted public venues, including markets, schools, and leisure establishments.
Separatists Suspected in Dreamland Assault
Though no separatist group has yet claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack on Dreamland Cabaret, several details mirror previous incidents linked to Ambazonia fighters. In May 2024, an audio recording surfaced online in which alleged ADF commanders discussed targeting bars and nightspots across Bamenda to “instill fear and disrupt civilian life.”
Security analysts say the targeting of nightlife venues is part of a broader strategy to assert control over territories and intimidate residents who do not comply with enforced “ghost towns” or lockdowns.
Ongoing Insecurity
The violence in Bamenda is part of a wider Anglophone crisis that began in late 2016, when protests against marginalisation escalated into a protracted armed conflict. Separatist groups have since declared an independent state known as “Ambazonia” in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon.
Despite multiple calls for dialogue and international mediation, clashes between armed groups and Cameroonian security forces continue, often resulting in civilian casualties and widespread displacement.
As of Monday afternoon, Cameroonian authorities have not issued a formal statement regarding the Dreamland Cabaret incident. Investigations are ongoing.
