An attempted kidnapping of 2026 Mount Cameroon Race of Hope champion Hamadou Bi Ibrahim, has been thwarted in Zangtabi, Momo Division, after a swift community response led to the arrest of three suspects.
What was meant to be a hero’s return home quickly turned into a night of fear, resistance, and collective action.
According to a community member who took part in the operation, the plot was allegedly orchestrated from within.
“The guy with dreadlocks is the main man behind the deal. He met with someone described as the champion’s younger brother… and told him that since his elder brother is now rich and famous, they should monitor his movements and kidnap him for ransom so they can all become very rich.”
The source added that the plan was accepted, setting the stage for the attack.
The incident reportedly unfolded in the early hours of Sunday, March 29.
“They attacked him around 2am with a dane gun, but the champion fought back and raised an alarm,” the community member said.
The resistance forced the suspects to flee temporarily.
“Being afraid, the kidnappers disappeared and hid around till daybreak, trying to find their way out of the village.”
By morning, word had spread across the community.
“The Fon instructed us, the youths, to block all the village boundaries,” the source recounted.
A coordinated manhunt was immediately launched, extending into nearby communities.
The suspects were eventually tracked to a neighbouring village.
“After a successful manhunt, we caught them in Kai. They were four, but unfortunately one escaped from our hands.”
According to residents, the suspects were found with a range of alarming items.
“They had a bag containing military dresses, a bulletproof vest, many T-shirts bearing ‘ADF Amba Restoration Forces’, a dane gun, a blue Amba military cap, a dagger…”
The source further revealed that a more dangerous weapon remains unaccounted for:
“There was also an AK-47 which the escapee ran away with. That is now the main target of the soldiers.”
The suspects were initially subjected to mob justice but survived.
“Jungle justice was meted on them, but they were not killed,” the community member said.
They were later taken to the palace on the instructions of the Fon, who had already alerted security forces.
“They were taken to Zangtabi palace, and the soldiers later came and took them away.”
The three suspects—identified locally as Kabiru, 17, Suleiman, 24, and Yaouba—are now in custody, while the fourth suspect remains at large.
Residents have praised the rare show of unity between communities in the area, describing the operation as a strong example of collective vigilance.
The athlete, Hamadou Bi Ibrahim, is safe, but investigations are ongoing—particularly to track down the escaped suspect and recover the missing weapon.
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