Following the attack on Saturday, suspected to have been carried out by Ambazonia separatists, a leaked audio recording featuring an Ambazonia Defence Force (ADF) commander surfaced, threatening further attacks against civilians in bars located in Bamenda. The recent attack resulted in at least two civilian deaths and approximately 42 injuries.
“Come rain or shine, I will stop the sale of Brasseries beers in Nkwen. We will take actions that will scare people away from drinking Brasseries,” a voice identified as General JC of the ADF threatened in the audio clip.
General JC further stated, “This will be a worldwide sensation, with journalists reporting it everywhere. It won’t be just one or two deaths. I will attack any of those bars, spray bullets, and ensure at least 20 people are killed. Once I do this to two or three bars, people will get the message.”
The ADF militia is one of the Ambazonia separatist groups that has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks, primarily targeting unarmed civilians, since the escalation of the Anglophone crisis.
Condemnation from Former Ally
Capo Daniel, formerly the deputy defence chief of the ADF, and currently the chairperson of the Peoples Rights Advocacy Platform (PRAP), has strongly condemned the recent attack on a bar in Bamenda.
Capo Daniel’s condemnation comes not long after his organisation came out to denounce violence as the solution to the Anglophone conflict.
Capo Daniel, once an advocate for violent action, has now denounced the organisation he previously represented, which claimed responsibility for the attack.
“We want to condemn this action and send our deepest sympathies to our people affected by this tragic incident,” said Capo Daniel, “Such actions should not go unpunished; they do not reflect any conduct worthy of the Anglophone people’s cause. We reject and condemn this attack at the highest possible level.”
Extortion by ADF
According to Capo Daniel, “The bar’s owner, Pa Nyong, a native of Bali, had stopped communicating with the ADF after they demanded money from him. He had paid them at the beginning of this year, but they kept asking for more. When he refused further payments, the ADF attacked the bar, causing mass casualties.”
The ADF, the armed wing of the Ambazonia Governing Council led by Norway-based Ayaba Cho, has resorted to extorting money, primarily from business owners, under the guise of a “liberation tax.”
