A traditional ruler in Akwaya, one of Cameroon’s most remote and inaccessible Subdivisions in the Southwest Region, has issued an urgent alarm over what he describes as a continuous armed invasion by Fulani militants from neighbouring Nigeria. He warned that entire communities are being displaced and homes occupied.
In a letter dated February 28, 2026, addressed to the Divisional Officer of Akwaya, Chief Agwa Linus Tarnonge of Bakinjaw village detailed a series of deadly attacks and escalating tensions in the Messaga Ekol Court Area that have left villagers terrorised and seeking refuge across the border.
Akwaya Subdivision, which shares a long and porous border with Nigeria, has long been prone to recurrent Fulani incursions that often go unreported due to its enclave nature and lack of communication infrastructure.
Among the most striking revelations in the Chief’s letter is the occupation of the residence of the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC), Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, located in Bombe village.
“On Thursday, February 26, 2026, the said armed Fulanis took effective occupation in the residence of the former PCC Moderator in Bombe, leaving family members stranded,” Chief Tarnonge wrote. “This is largely happening to so many homes in the Court Area.”
The Chief recounted a timeline of violence that stretches back to late 2024. This includes a Fulani attack in Messaga Ekol that killed a woman identified as Ayumu Christina and her son, Ayumu Roger.
In the same incident, nine-year-old Kingsley Courage Saachi was murdered, while another villager survived with serious injuries.
On January 3, 2025, assailants armed with sophisticated weapons attacked security forces stationed at the Bakinjaw Palace, killing seven soldiers—five military and two gendarmes—and burned down the Chief’s palace.
Since January 22, 2026, the Chief reports an influx of armed Fulanis into the area. The populations of lower Bakinjaw, lower Ballin, and lower Bagundu have fled, some seeking refuge in neighbouring Nigeria while others have moved to central Messaga Ekol.
Beyond the immediate violence, Chief Agwa Linus Tarnonge warns of an emerging famine as farmlands are raided and crops destroyed.
“Farm lands are raided, with crops destroyed, leaving families whose livelihood depend on farming stranded. Famishment is eminent! The population of Messaga Ekol is hugely displaced,” the traditional ruler wrote.
Chief Tarnonge described the situation as “highly preoccupying” for a population that had only recently begun returning home following the deployment of security forces in June 2024.
“The Traditional Rulers and elites of the area are totally in shock as this recent incident has struck our hopes,” he said.
He believes the armed Fulanis are not simple herders but jihadists with territorial ambitions.
“These armed Fulanis are disguised as herders but they are actually jihadists with the tendencies and quest to conquer and occupy. In fact, these armed Fulanis have already conquered so many villages in neighbouring Benue State, Nigeria, and settled,” he wrote.
In his urgent recommendations to the government, the Chief called for the immediate deployment of additional military forces to Bombe, Assaka, and neighbouring Boworo villages.
He advocated for the creation of a well-equipped military base in Messaga Ekol to provide a permanent solution and secure the porous Nigerian border. He also urged firm diplomatic engagement with the Nigerian government to jointly crack down on the armed groups, alongside the establishment of communication networks and road construction to enable effective military response.
Chief Tarnonge proposed administrative restructuring to upgrade Akwaya Subdivision to a Division and Messaga Ekol Court Area to a full Subdivision. This recommendation comes as the government, last year, revealed plans to create new administrative units in the country.
“The implementation of these recommendations will bring huge relief and comfort not only to the administration but as well as the local population that feels abandoned in the face of growing adversity,” the Chief said.
As of the time of this report, government authorities have not issued a public response to the Chief’s account. The situation in Akwaya remains tense, with communities along Cameroon’s border with Nigeria bracing for further violence.
