Residents of the villages in Upper Bayang, located in the Manyu Division, are fleeing for their lives as Ambazonia separatist fighters, led by someone known simply by the name, Ako Giant, carry out a series of killings and continue to threaten further violence, including the burning of homes. Distressed by the perilous situation, the villagers have issued urgent pleas for intervention from the Cameroonian military.
In videos shared with MMI, scenes depict men, women, and children hastily evacuating, carrying essentials such as mattresses and clothing, seeking refuge in the nearby bushes. The affected villages, namely Amebisu, Ayukaba, and Bakumba, are part of the Betieku Clan in the Upper Bayang subdivision within the Manyu Division of the Southwest Region.
Ako Giant has been reportedly exploiting these communities since the onset of the crisis, demanding exorbitant sums of money. The villagers have been forced to pay up, even resorting to borrowing funds during community meetings. Three months ago, Ako Giant once again demanded payment, and the community, under financial strain, complied. However, his latest demand of 5 million FCFA per village has proven insurmountable for these smaller communities.
In response to the inability to meet Ako Giant’s financial demands, the situation has escalated, with reports indicating that he recently killed two individuals, abducted another, and issued threats of burying the captive alive unless the demanded amount is paid promptly. Disturbingly, one resident informed MMI that the kidnapped individual has already been subjected to severe torture, including the amputation of fingers, with imminent plans for a live burial.
Expressing the urgency of the situation, residents are fervently calling for military intervention in the area to quell the escalating violence. They describe chaotic scenes of people fleeing in various directions in a desperate quest for safety. One villager shared, “Each time he comes and asks for 1 million FCFA per village, we always pay. This money is being borrowed from meetings, and the dotted villages are unable to pay it back. This time, he asked for 5 million FCFA per village, which we are unable to pay. He said he would kill everybody, burn all the houses.”
Another villager pleaded, “Please, the government should intervene and stop this massacre that wants to happen in Betieku Land.” The plea was underscored by a narrator in one of the videos, emphasizing the imminent threat, “They are coming to kill us. If the government does not help us this time around, we will all die.”
Regrettably, this is not the first instance where separatist fighters have targeted innocent civilians due to financial disputes. Since the commencement of the Anglophone conflict in 2017, individuals who initially believed that separatist fighters would protect them have tragically become victims of the escalating violence.
