Grief has swept through Nkwen, in Bamenda, following the killing of a commercial motorbike rider, popularly known as Ayouba.
Local sources say he was killed by separatist fighters who tried stopping him around Mile Three, Nkwen, on May 4, 2025.
Originally from Nkambe in Cameroon’s North West Region, Ayouba had become a familiar face on the streets of Bamenda.
Known for his reliability in transporting both people and goods across the city, his easygoing demeanour and street presence made him a local favourite.
“Ayouba used to transport my goods to Food Market. I just needed to tell him when they are ready, and he will transport them,” said Nchundah, a vendor at the Food Market in Bamenda.
Eyewitnesses say Ayouba was being stopped by the separatists. As soon as he realized he was being stopped by separatists, he tried to flee.
“The separatists opened fire on him, targeting him on his head,” said a passerby who witnessed the scene.
The motive for the attack remains unclear, and no separatist group has claimed responsibility for the action.
An Attack on All
Residents and fellow riders gathered at the scene the following morning, visibly shaken and voicing their fears about the growing wave of violence.
“This is not just about one man,” said a grieving colleague. “It’s about the fact that any of us could be next. Bamenda has become unsafe for people just trying to earn an honest living.”
Separatists fighters who are clamoring for independence in Cameroon’s North West and South West Regions have now begun targeting the local populations in Bamenda and its environs
MMI has reported numerous cases of targeted killings, kidnappings for ransom and burning of civilian property.
The heightened chaos comes as Cameroon closes in on another presidential election after the 2018 vote was seriously hampered in Anglophone Regions by insecurity.
The bike rider recently killed in Bamenda is one of several city transporters who have died from separatist and military gunfire.
Tributes have been pouring in on social media, and calls for justice and peace have intensified.
Many are urging both local and national authorities to investigate the killing and to implement concrete measures to restore security. Ayouba was buried almost immediately.
