Armed conflict in North West, South West:
President Biya stokes burning logs, promises hard times for separatists

President Paul Biya of Cameroon has expressed plans to double efforts to suppress separatist fighters in the Anglophone regions.

The President made the remark during his end of year speech moments ago. Noting that many Boko Haram members have laid down their arms and are being catered for in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Centres, the president said the same was the case in the North-West and South-West Regions.

“However, many of our compatriots remain within the ranks of armed groups. They continue to engage in criminal activities, increasing attacks with improvised explosive devices and murders of unarmed civilians,” he stated.

President Biya went on to cite the case of Ekondo Titi in the South West region where three students were killed by separatist fighters in a school. This, he noted, “… added to their long list of abuses and atrocities.”

“It should be clearly understood that wherever the perpetrators and sponsors of such acts are hiding, they will be relentlessly tracked down and will face the full force of the law,” he promised.

“In this fierce fight against barbarism,” the President went on, “… I urge the Cameroonian people to step up collaboration with our defence and security forces in order to neutralize the fanatics of armed violence and to preserve the integrity of our territory.”

President Paul Biya as usual did not fail to mention the forces of law and order who have for the last year, been in the news for all the wrong reasons including gross rights violations and extrajudicial killings.

Ironically, the Head of State lauded their actions and urged them to forge ahead: “Many of our compatriots have fallen in battle while engaged in this lofty civil and military defense task. May our determination to keep up the fight bring solace to them as their sacrifice for the Republic will not be in vain.”


The president in his speech also dwelled on a range of issues, promising to create three new state universities, and promised cracking down on corrupt officials.