Officers of the Cameroon defense and security forces conducted an extensive raid in Ntamulung, a neighborhood in Bamenda, the capital of the restive North West Region, on Monday, January 27. According to local sources, the operation resulted in multiple arrests, including that of a well-known dog meat vendor, on suspicion of links with armed separatist groups.
The crackdown follows the arrest and subsequent death of a man whose identity remains unclear. Reports indicate that government forces whisked him away last week from Ntamulung to an undisclosed location. Days later, residents discovered his lifeless body in Mile 6, Nkwen, Bamenda, raising concerns about possible torture and extrajudicial execution during his time in custody.
“We heard gunshots on Thursday night, and on Friday morning, we saw a dead body lying on the ground,” a resident of Mile 6 recounted in a viral audio obtained by MMI. “At first, no one recognized him, but after the raid in Ntamulung, residents confirmed that he lived in the neighborhood.”
Conflicting Claims
Security sources claim that at the time of his arrest, the deceased was in possession of a firearm. Other unverified reports suggest he was a former member of an armed separatist group in Wum before relocating to Bamenda.
The raid in Ntamulung has left residents on edge, with many expressing fear over the arbitrary arrests. “We don’t know who will be taken next,” said a local shopkeeper. “They are rounding up people without explanation.”
Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the operation. However, security forces continue their efforts to dismantle separatist networks, conducting similar raids in various parts of Bamenda.
As tensions in the region remain high, residents are calling for transparency and accountability in security operations to prevent further human rights violations.
This adds to the increasing numbers of deaths in Bamenda in he past weeks, with very little information from the authorities.
