Gang of six suspected kidnappers arrested, one victim freed in West Region

By David Atangana

A gang of six suspected kidnappers aged between 17 and 38, arrested by the forces of law and order have been presented to the public in Bafoussam, West region of Cameroon.

A 13-year-old victim kidnapped by the vagabonds was also presented after a recent security operation that dismantled the kidnapping network.

The operations according to gendamarie officers, were carried out in the towns of Bafoussam and Foumbot in the West Region and Ebolowa in the South Region.

Jonathan Zourmra, a gendarmerie officer in the West region told Equinox television, that “the suspects planned and abducted the victim from a compound in the Carierre neighborhood in Bandjoun, Koung Khi Division.”

The victim was at home without her parents when the kidnappers invaded.

The law enforcement officer said the suspects abducted the kid and “left a note with a telephone number on it instructing the parents of the little girl to call them if they want to see their child alive”.

The gang members police report reveals had also made a demand of three million FCFA as ransom.

Following the kidnap of the little girl, the suspects Zoumra narrated, had positioned one of their members to watch over the little girl while they were asleep.

Unfortunately for the gang, the little girl escaped when one of the kidnappers assigned to keep watch also fell asleep

During interrogations, gendarme officer Zoumra said the kidnappers disclosed that the brain behind the abduction was a close relative.

In the wake of the dismantling of the kidnapping network, the gendarme officer urged the population to continue to work with security officers to put an end to such unfortunate incidents.

The suspects have been detained at the Bafoussam Gendarmerie Brigade pending presentation before a prosecutor to answer for their alleged crimes.

The recent arrests add to many others that gendarmes have made nationwide in the wake of a special operation to end rising crime wave in several localities and cities.