Kumbo travellers stranded as standoff between separatist fighters, security forces rages on

Kumbo in the North West region remains cut off from the rest of the nation.

One of the most affected towns by the war in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, the past weeks have seen government and separatist fighters disagree over control of travelling out of the town.

In a communiqué made public on July 14, 2020 the Senior Divisional Officer for Bui ordered that public transport vehicles should only load at the Njavnyuy park.

Separatist fighters have disputed the order, causing civilians to bear the pains of the disagreement.

“This has brought serious problems because the amba boys have vowed that Njavnuyuy park is a no go area for any body” a source says.

“Remember that sometimes ago as the crisis started, the military invaded the park shooting about five drivers on the legs and consequently handicapping them” he explains. This he says has made drivers scared of the military and separatist fighters who have promised to burn cars of anyone who violates their order.

The source goes on to narrate his ordeal in an attempt to leave the town. “Very early yesterday as 4:30AM, a couple of drivers tried to smuggle passengers and were intercepted by the military men who may have been hinted and where hiding in the bushes.”

Among the cars stopped were cars owned by the Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC he reveals.

“They pulled all the passengers from the cars and asked us to trekked for a very long distance to their control post where we were taken in to an uncompleted building. We stayed there till day break with little or no harassment” he adds.

Among the passengers held for hours by the security forces, he says, were nursing mothers who also trekked through the darkness with their babies too.

“After that, we were then taken to the Brigade in Kumbo and allowed to go home returning all they collected from the passengers.”

The transport vehicles were however impounded: “they asked them to pay a fine of 600,000 FCFA Residents of Kumbo remain in a fix as the standoff lags on.

Kumbo has been one of the most violent areas over the past weeks with several gun battles between separatist fighters and security forces.

Mimi Mefo Info