Kedjom Ketinguh man killed as Tubah DO faces questions over escalating land conflict

Residents of Kedjom Ketinguh accuse people from Bambui of killing Asenkain Andrew at Abongphen and allege that Divisional Officer Massango Metougue Narcisse has inflamed the dispute.

Residents of Kedjom Ketinguh, also known as Babanki Tungo, have accused villagers from Bambui of killing Asenkain Andrew as a long-running land dispute in Tubah Subdivision descends into deadly violence.

Andrew was killed at Abongphen, an area Kedjom Ketinguh residents say belongs to their community but which has become the focus of a dispute involving Bambui.

Killing at Abongphen

A graphic video seen by MMI News shows Andrew’s body following the incident. The footage is too disturbing to publish.

Community members identify him as a resident of Kedjom Ketinguh and accuse people from Bambui of killing him. The precise circumstances surrounding his death, including when and how the attack began, still need to be established through an impartial investigation.

Residents have also questioned the basis of Bambui’s claim over Abongphen. They argue that Bambui shares a recognised boundary with Bambili and are demanding that the authorities explain what official maps, survey records or administrative decisions support any claim extending into Kedjom Ketinguh.

The Divisional Officer is not a bystander

In the video, residents directly accuse the Divisional Officer for Tubah, Massango Metougue Narcisse, of instigating and inflaming the conflict.

This is a serious accusation against the official responsible for local administration and public order in Tubah. It does not, by itself, establish his responsibility for the violence, but it cannot be ignored or met with silence.

Massango cannot be treated as a passive observer. His office was already aware of the dispute before Andrew’s killing. Members of the Kedjom Ketinguh community had marched to his office on September 15, following an earlier violent confrontation at Abongphen.

The Divisional Officer must explain what measures he took after receiving those complaints, how the disputed boundary is being determined and what was done to prevent further attacks. He must also respond directly to accusations that his actions have favoured one community or contributed to the escalation.

Given the death, injuries and growing risk of reprisals, regional authorities should order an independent investigation into the violence and the conduct of every official involved in managing the dispute.

Couple detained as injured man is denied treatment

A man and his wife are also reportedly being held in administrative detention at the Tubah Gendarmerie Brigade in connection with the conflict.

Residents say the man was tortured by people from Bambui before being detained and requires medical attention. They say he has nevertheless been prevented from going to hospital.

The grounds for detaining the couple have not been explained. The Divisional Officer must clarify whether he ordered or authorised their detention, the legal basis for holding them and why an injured detainee has reportedly been denied treatment.

Administrative detention does not remove the authorities’ responsibility for a detainee’s safety. The man should be examined by medical personnel without further delay, while any accusation against the couple should be handled through a transparent legal process.

Violence began before Andrew’s killing

The dispute had already turned violent on Monday, September 14, when a confrontation broke out after people from Kedjom Ketinguh went to Abongphen.

During the confrontation, a young man was struck with a machete, leaving him with a serious injury to his hand. The hand was not completely severed, and he was taken to the Bamenda Regional Hospital for treatment.

Tensions continued the following day when members of the Kedjom Ketinguh community marched to the Divisional Officer’s office to present their concerns. Bambui market was closed, while residents of Bambui were also asked to report to the office.

A group of women from Kedjom Ketinguh was later seen heading towards the Divisional Officer’s office.

Andrew’s killing now requires more than another meeting between angry communities. The authorities must establish who killed him, investigate the earlier violence, explain the continued detention of the couple and account for the decisions taken by the Divisional Officer since the dispute escalated.