CHAN: Insecurity hoovers over Limbe as competition begins tomorrow

Group D matches of African Football Championship (CHAN) 2021 will take place in Limbe; South West region of Cameroon according to fixture made public by the Confederation of African Football – CAF.

The region; one of the restive anglophone regions is witnessing a war of independence by Ambazonia separatists since 2016.

Though experiencing an unstable security situation with Mondays observed as a ghost town day for over three years, a total of seven African Football Championship matches will take place in Limbe from January 19th to February 3rd 2021.

At the start of Group Stage matches Saturday January 16th , the first match in Limbe will take place on the 19th January pitting the Chipolopolo of Zambia and Tanzania.

The match begins at 5: 00pm at Ngueme twenty thousand Capacity stadium followed at 8:00pm with the match between Guinea and Namibia.

Five group stage matches will take place in Limbe, one quarter final match on Sunday 31st of January 2021 and one semi final match on the 3rd of February.

Matches will be taking place in Limbe from 5:00pm and 8:00pm.

Beside all these, training sessions by Group D matches will be taking place in local pitches in Limbe and Buea; regional Capital of the South West located so kilometers away from Limbe.

CAF prepare to start the championship, separatists have been calling for complete lock down of Fako division in particular and the South West region in general as a means to paralyse matches in Limbe. To the separatists, Limbe ( Victoria ) as they called it is in Ambazonia and not “La Republic du Cameroon” and therefore a football Championship cannot take place there without the consent of the people of Ambazonia.

Following threats to disrupt the smooth organisation of matches in Limbe, the government of Cameroon is mobilising security and defense forces to keep guard. According to a statement to the press last week, the governor of the South West stated that the population should collaborate to denounce separatists. To Bernard Okalia Bilai, military are on a high alert.

Mbatho Ntan.

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