The Cameroon government has maintained stoic silence over strong allegations that the military attacked a family and killed four civilians in Kumbo. Images circulating online with the information MMI was able to gather indicate that at least four people were killed and their bodies dumped in a nearby stream in an area known as Bamfem.
Details regarding the identities of those killed remain sketchy, as the government has maintained silence on the incident but some eyewitnesses claim that the victims were all members of the same family.
“The father, an aged man walking with the help of walking sticks known as Pa Oritoi, seen lying with short pants to the left in the above picture, had his throat cut off before being dumped into the river, followed by two of his son’s, Nyundzeven Alain and Tav Elvis,” a source said.
Images seen by MMI also do not show any evidence of separatist activities that should have presented a significant threat to warrant these killings. However, it is hoped that better communication on the part of the authorities can shed more light on what actually happened.
Some sources claim that it was a recent Cameroonian military operation targeting a separatist hideout in Kumbo, a major town in the North West Region. There has been no official confirmation from government sources to this effect.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday, April 11, has left the community in distress and further highlighted the precarious nature of human life in the conflict zones.
Some propaganda social media channels favourable to the Cameroon government have claimed that the military attacked and seized various items associated with Ambazonia separatists during the operation.
These items reportedly include a gun, car batteries, IED remote controls, a bulletproof vest, electric detonators, and Indian hemp, among others. There is however, no way of independently verifying the authenticity of these claims, as the images they posted are random, without direct links to the images of the victims that MMI has seen.
Kumbo, which is the headquarters of the Bui Division, has long been a hotspot for separatist activities and houses groups like the Bui Warriors.
The area has witnessed frequent clashes between separatists and the military, resulting in casualties on both sides.
This recent military raid follows another a few months ago, where soldiers fired upon civilians during a hunt for separatists, killing four innocent people.
While some observers note a relative return to peace in Cameroon’s Anglophone Regions after seven years of armed conflict, pockets of insecurity persist.
Challenges, such as school boycotts and the absence of essential government services, continue to affect various communities.
The lack of transparency and open communication by the Cameroon government further complicates issues as it leaves room for widespread propaganda.
