Akwaya: 30 killed in fresh intertribal violence between Messaga, Oliti communities

More than 30 people have been killed in Akwaya subdivision in the South West Region over the past weeks as inter-communal violence skyrockets.

The most recent of the violent attacks happened over the weekend as the intertribal hostilities between the Oliti and Messaga Ekol people in Akwaya ensued.

Persons believed to be of the Oliti are said to have brought hired mercenaries to attack the Messaga Ekol people otherwise known as the Ballin.

“They succeeded in killing 28 people, women, children and men all together,” a source noted.

He went on: “they burned down part of the Ballin village. It was due to the intervention of the Gendarmes that they finally left without burning down or killing the whole village.”

Genesis

The violence is said to originate from a disputed rich agricultural piece of land.

Last weekend’s attacks is said to be the third wave of attack between both communities since April this year.

On April 29 this year, the Oliti people had reportedly attacked and killed at least 20 Messaga Ekol people on their farms, which prompted a retaliation from Messaga Ekol people.

The Oliti people are said to have mobilized and hired armed men who together launched a revenge on the Messaga Ekol people.

In the first attack, about 20 were allegedly killed and 65 injured while dozens more died in the second attack.

As a result of the recurrent violence, some churches have reportedly been shut down in the area and several villagers fled into neighbouring Nigeria.

PCC Moderator condemns attack

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, Rev Fonki Samuel Forba has condemned the attack which he termed as “shameful” and “inhumane”.

In a communique issued on Monday June 27, the PCC Moderator said “it is so terrible, wicked, disheartening and the highest manifestation of evil, that children of the same community should carry out such acts of gruesome murder, men-slaughter and destruction on their own brothers and sisters without any scruple of their consciences”.

While warning that the tension between these two communities is still boiling, the clergy revealed that “over 30 people were killed including children, girls, men, women and old people. Some were beheaded. About 5 Nigerians were killed in this attack.”

Authorities maintain silence

Some villagers have indicted local authorities for maintaining deaf ear and blind eye to the happenstances as more lives continue to be wasted.

Population say local authorities have repeatedly been informed of the clashes but their intervention to end the violence are still being awaited.

A civil society activist familiar with the sub division and the recent happenings revealed that government forces, like separatists fighters, have been using the conflict to fuel their different agendas.

“Amba infiltrates and the military as well. They take advantage of the situation,” he stated while refusing to be named.

MP missing in action
Amidst these happenings, locals say the Member of Parliament for Akwaya has maintained a vexing silence, leaving them to wonder who to run to for help.

“We were expecting him as our representative in parliament to react, but he has been quite. We are not happy that he has abandoned us and is not saying anything about our ordeal,” explained one of the native of the area who refused to be named.

At the time of this report, the MP in question was not available for comments.

The happenstances in Akwaya now counts as one of several intercommunity violence in the English speaking regions ignored by government and played upon by belligerents of the Anglophone crisis.

A similar scenario has been recorded in other parts of the North West and South West regions especially in localities where farmer-grazier conflicts had been rampant before the crisis.

Mimi Mefo Info