Bamenda ex-combatant, Agwe Joel, thrown in jail

By David Atangana

Agwe Joel, a former Ambazonia separatist fighter who surrendered and joined the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Center (DDRC) in Bamenda, has been sent to jail.

A source from Kondengui maximum security prison in Yaounde confirmed to MMI that “he is here with us”.

Joel was one of those appearing on pro-government social media platforms running propaganda messages to lure separatist fighters to drop their weapons.

He also accompanied the military in assaulting the hideouts of fighters, killing many of them.

Joel disappeared from social media until recently that a video emerged showing him crying out that he has been thrown in jail after being used by the government “against my brothers and sisters”.

Looking frail, the ex-fighter landed an apology to his former colleagues of the Ambazonia struggle for playing the spanner-in-the-wheel role.

“I joined the DDR in 2020. My Fellow Anglophones who have been seeing me on the media doing sensitization against the Ambazonia struggle, I come to you today April 24, 2024, to apologize to my brothers and sisters of the Ambazonia revolution for the atrocities the government of ‘La Republique’ has caused me to commit against my people,” said Joel.

The ex-combatant, who was known in the separatists’ ranks as “Grandpa”, regretted what has become of him despite heavy promises made by the government.

“I can’t believe that those who promised me life and comfort ended throwing me in jail,” he went on.

Joel had, together with other ex-fighters on several social media outings, preached on targeting unrepentant fighters, their relatives and civilians who refused to collaborate with the military.

He now says he was misled cautioning his former colleagues not to allow themselves to be used like him.

“To those fighting for the independence of our country Ambazonia, I say do not be misled,” he said adding that, “I apologize for misleading some of you into joining the DDR.

“There is nothing that can benefit you from DDR. It is a distraction from our fight for independence.”

The DDR was set up by the government as an amnesty to those who had picked up arms against the State in the English-speaking Regions and the Far North Region.

Thousands of ex-Ambazonia and Boko Haram fighters have been recruited into the disarmament project since 2018, when the centers were created.

Joel, the disgruntled ex-combatant who is now languishing in jail, says he joined the outfit based on promises made by the government which were never fulfilled.

“I joined DDR based on the promises made that they will give us jobs, freedom and money but see where I am today,” he lamented.

Most of the combatants, he said, “have been used to kill many innocent fighters and used innocent civilians to give us information about their hideout.”

“I took part in some of the missions,” he revealed.

©Mimi Mefo Info