Anglophone Crisis: Mother and son murdered in Kedjom Keku (Big Babanki)

By Ndi Fungwe

A woman and her son have been killed in Kejom Keku (Big Babanki) as Security forces on Thursday, June 21st, 2023, continued with their bedlam in Babanki.
The elderly woman whose name we got as Lii O and her Son Oliver who has a hearing impairment were killed as the military stormed their quarter – Finkoo.

Oliver aged, 41, and mother, 74, were seen dead with bullet wounds. The mother MMI learned was carrying her grandchild on her back at the time she was shot. The troops pulled down the baby to the floor before shooting the old woman.

“The troops were approaching their compound and the deaf Oliver was outside, so he saw the troops and moved into the house. When the troops got to their house, Oliver wasn’t talking. He talked with signs and actions not understood by the troops, and his mother was brought beside him. Both were shot to death after taking down the baby that was at the back of the mother.” Akumbom Linus a neighbour explained adding that “After killing Oliver, he was again set on fire.”

The situation in Big Babanki has remained preoccupying. Elites from Big Babanki are said to be rushing to nearby Bambui on a daily basis from Bamenda to take home their relatives running away from the village.

The killing of Oliver and his mother makes it 24 persons killed since troops entered Big Babanki according to our reporter

“We are tired and we need the troops to leave our village. The people they came for have all escaped. But we civilians are the target. How do you come to kill Amba, and the Ambas have run away and you turn to civilians, killing them without mercy and no one is saying anything? As I left the village today June 22nd, 2023, I was stopped by the troops at TRAP and told our Fon has given instructions that the troops should stop the people leaving the village. I told the troops I was going out for a visit. They collected 1000frs each from us. My, wife and my daughter paid 3000frss. Everyone leaving the village will have to settle the troops 1000frs” Aluh Wiibwen a kingmaker in Big Babanki who was running away from the village narrated.

Latest developments from Babanki say, one of those who survived the execution on June 16th, 2023 at mile 12 Bambui, when troops executed close to 12 persons who were arrested days back, called Promised has finally died at the Mutengene Baptist hospital in the South West region where he was referred.

A source told our reporter that before dying Promise had revealed that, before leaving the Gendarmerie cell at the station on that June 16th to be executed, they had been given rice suspected to have been poisoned to eat.

“You that was not going to eat the rice was to be shot to death.” He said adding that “they all ate the rice on gunpoint. And when they got to mile 12 Bambui, they were told to go back to Big Babanki, as they were moving the troops opened fire killing some but he survived.

The source added that Promised had revealed that they spent two days without water and food at up station Gendarmerie Brigade before the execution on the third day.

The corpse of Promise is still in Mutengene in the South West region. All the young people have left Big Babanki village. Though it is harvesting season, old people are abandoning their crops on the farms and running for safety.