Fight against ghost town turns sour in Ndop:
Gendarmerie Commander accused of killing, arresting locals for failing to open shops

The Brigade commender of the Ndop Gendarmerie Post in Ngokentunjjia division of the North West region has been accused of shooting to death locals for failing to open their shops on Monday in defiance of separatist imposed ghost towns.

Beyond traders, some locals further accused the commander of equally arresting commercial biker riders who fail to work on Mondays to keep Ndop alive in the face of threats from Amba boys.

A local quotes the commander as having told inhabitants of Ndop v weeks back that those who fail to open their shops on Mondays should never open again.

In keeping with the reported promise, the commander is said to have arrested many whose shops were not opened. The Commander is said to be working in conjunction with the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Ngokentunjia, Handerson Quetong Konge.

According to Maustapha who said he managed to escape with his bike to Bamenda on Tuesday, commercial bikers who did not work on Monday were arrested.

“Some were shot and killed and those whose parents could pay the hundreds of thousands demanded by the gendarmes were set free. The uniform officer is killing people just any how and no one is saying anything,” Maustapha told MMI.

Another local who identified himself only as Timothy told our reporters that some shops that did not open on Monday for fear of the unknown were burnt down by the uniformed officer. Timothy said , his shop was among those gendarme officers set ablaze.

Timothy added that “one time ,the Commander told villagers that he spent 15million FCFA to get the charms that he is using and that he will only die at his appointed time.”

Last Monday March 21,2022, some shop owners opened their stores and left only to come back and lock them up in the evening. Those who did not obey the Commander’s instructions going by our sources paid the ultimate price.

The North West administration has not done anything to bring him to order. The situation is said to be what angered separatist fighters who decided to impose an indefinite lockdown operation that has further put the population in pains.

To enforce the ghost town operation, close to four cars were burnt down while some persons, all civilians were abducted, Wednesday March 23,2022 around Sabga.

Attempts by MMI to get the Ndop Gendarmerie Commander and the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Ngokentunjia, Handerson Quetong Konge react to the accusations were fruitless.