A civilian was fatally shot and another injured in Nkwen, Bamenda, after gendarmes opened fire at Mile 4 Junction, mistaking the sound of a modified motorcycle for gunshots.
The incident occurred 8 pm on October 27, disrupting the usually lively nightlife in the area.
The victim, whose identity MMI has not yet confirmed, was present at the well-known Mile 4 Junction when the incident took place.
A local food vendor who was at the scene recounted that the confusion arose when a motorcycle with a customised sound repeatedly passed through the area, making loud noises that resembled gunfire.
“I was at my kiosk; it was not an attack,” said the local food vendor.
“A bike rider had put a sound on his bike to make it sound like gunshots. When he arrived at the Mile 4 Junction, he made the sound four times. That’s what prompted the gendarmes to open fire.”
The gunfire led to the immediate death of a man and left another person wounded.
Sources have confirmed that the injured civilian is being treated at a health facility in Bamenda.
This incident left residents shaken and has raised concerns about the safety of civilians amid heightened security measures in Bamenda.
Many expected the gendarmerie hierarchy to have issued a statement.
This is coming at a time when defence and security forces have been urging the population for collaboration against armed separatists.
It is feared that such isolated cases might strain civilian-military cooperation in a region inundated by separatist groups.
