Close to 30 prisoners from the Nkambe principal prison, North West region of Cameroon have been transported to Bamenda.
A source says the inmates attempted to escape from jail, Friday January 3rd 2020 when they were caught. “Military men are still in search of some prisoners believed to have successfully escaped from the prison,” the source told MMI.
Another however says their transfer is part of plans to decongest the crowded detention facility. “Penitentiary administrators and officials in the area benefited from the presence of trucks that brought President Biya’s aid to Nkambe, to whisk the prisoners off to Bamenda. It is not certain the criteria used to select these prisoners, but reports say the Nkambe principal prison has been overcrowded following multiple arrests in the area” the source said.
Nkambe Principal Prison has been saturated since the beginning of the Anglophone crisis as suspects are arrested and detained on a daily bases.
Meantime, in Wat and Kup villages, locals have been prevented by the military from fleeing to safer places. Some houses in these villages were burnt during violent confrontations between the military and Ambazonian fighters.
The divisional officer of Nkambe is set to visit some villages in the sub division from Monday January 6 to preach the message of peace. DO Ngida Laurence Che has been accused by some Nkambe inhabitants of fueling tension through his administrative actions.
To the disgruntled villagers, the DO systematically seals businesses that refuse to open on Mondays – ghost town day.
Mimi Mefo Info.
Picture: Archive