Cameroon: Caiman kills sand digger in Japoma

A Caiman is reported to have killed a sand digger popularly known as Roger in Japoma, Douala in the Littoral Region of Cameroon.

The tragic incident took place on the night of Tuesday April 4, 2023 breaking Wednesday.

According to reports, the man went to his place of work, a river located in the Japoma neighborhood in Douala to dig sand when he was carried away by the Caiman.

“We had already filled the canoe and started to clean ourselves up. As we cleaned ourselves, his assistant came to us and told us how Roger was shouting ‘Come save me’,” a witness said.

The body of the young man was later not found.

One of the fishermen said, a caiman dragged the man to the other shore.

“Since we’ve been here, the caiman has been prowling around us,” our source added.

Inhabitants of the locality are accustomed to attacks of this type, but this is the first time that one of the attacks has led to the death of a human being.

“Once someone had even lost their toe but the caiman had never picked up someone and carried them around,” reveals Prince Dieudonne Mbouma, the representative of the Japoma village chief.

He assured that measures have been taken to avoid a similar disaster in the future.

Sand diggers have been urged to stop night work for the moment.

“They will start working during the day while waiting for the authorities to take action,” the village representative added.

By Amina Hilda