By Kate Bih
A disturbing 30-second video, obtained by Mimi Mefo Info (MMI) on November 19, shows the Divisional Officer (DO) of Idabato, who was kidnapped on October 1, being subjected to inhumane treatment.
The DO is seen hung upside down with his hands and legs tied backward, suspended from a stick over a meter above the ground.
In the video, the DO, Ewane Roland, is heard pleading for his life, urging his family and people of good will to raise the ransom demanded by his captors else he would be killed.
“Please, my brothers and sisters, contribute that money and bring it. I beg, I beg, I beg. If not, I will die,” the DO is heard saying in a trembling voice.
While he pleaded, another man lay face-down and motionless beside him.
MMI cannot independently confirm whether the man is dead or alive.
The video comes weeks after the DO was kidnapped alongside a staff of the Idabato Council, in the Ndian Division.
The video is the first public image of the administrator since he was kidnapped on October 1. The government says he was taken by pirates from neighbouring Nigeria.
On October 14, two weeks after the kidnapping, a group known as the Dragon Fighter Marine, based in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, claimed responsibility for the abduction through a Facebook post.
Government Response
Following the abduction, on October 1, the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, issued a 72-hour ultimatum demanding the release of the DO and council staff.
He also suspended social and economic activities in Idabato during a crisis meeting held in Idabato.
The government further engaged in diplomatic talks with Nigeria through the Nigerian Consul General in Buea.
Despite these measures, the hostages remain missing, and the talks have so far failed to secure their release.
The incident highlights the worsening security crisis in the South West Region, with separatist activities and criminal gangs escalating tensions.
The video has sparked outrage and despair, raising questions about the effectiveness of government intervention in resolving such incidents.
At the moment, MMI is unable to ascertain whether or not the Idabato DO and Council staff are still alive but the situation remains worrisome.
