Kidnapped Fako Chiefs released after peer dies in captivity

The traditional rulers of Mile 15 and Mile 16 in Buea, South West region have been freed.

This was after they spent 24 hours in the hands of separatist fighters.

The chiefs of Mile 15 – Lower Bokova, Efande Emmanuel Ewule and Mile 16 – Bolifamba, Kombe Simon Monyonge, were at an occasion with Mile 14 Chief, Ikome Emmanuel Ngalle when they were abducted.

Their counterpart of Mile 14 was not lucky as he died in the hands of their captors.

Their abduction by separatist fighters is believed to have been motivated by their participation in the just-ended Regional Election.

Separatist fighters had earlier warned against anyone who took part in the December 6 election, asking that government meets their demands which have left both sides engulfed in a brutal war for the past four years today.

Several quarters had condemned the abduction including the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA.

In a statement on the abductions and killing, it noted that “it is alleged that the chief of Mile 14 was killed because schools were operating in his village despite calls for a school boycott by separatists.”

“The death of the chief of Mile 14 in Buea subdivision,” it went on, “makes a total of four chiefs of the SWR, who have died as a result of the crisis.”

“Such attacks on traditional leaders is an affront to the tradition, cultures, and customs of the people. It should be noted that the chiefs fall within the civilian population and ought not to be targeted in a crisis situation,” CHRDA noted.

It added that it “strongly condemns these attacks on Traditional Rulers, and urges the members of the Non-State Armed Groups to desist from all sorts of attacks on the civilian population as this clearly violates the very laws enshrined in the IHRL and IHL.”

MMI