A young man identified as Desiré Kpwakeki has reportedly died after being tortured by Cameroonian military forces in Nkar, Jakiri Subdivision, Bui Division of the North West Region.
According to local residents who spoke to MMI, the incident occurred during a football tournament that had been bringing together villages in Nkar.
They explained that the tournament had been running peacefully, without interference from either separatist fighters or the military.
“Unfortunately, during the semi-finals, a civilian was mistaken for an Ambazonia fighter. Perhaps someone described an Amba fighter to the military, but they apprehended a civilian instead,” a resident said.
“The military seized this man, beat him severely, and he died from his injuries,” another source added.
Organizers of the tournament reportedly attempted to intervene but were unable to convince the soldiers in time that the victim was not a separatist fighter.
“This is the same military we had welcomed into our village, with the hope that they would protect us,” a resident lamented.
As of the time of this report, the Cameroonian military had not commented on the allegations.
Locals say the incident has triggered a response from separatist fighters, who have imposed a lockdown in the village until organizers clarify what transpired.
Football has increasingly served as a unifying factor for communities in Cameroon’s two Anglophone regions since the onset of the crisis.
However, both the military and separatist fighters have frequently been accused of committing atrocities against civilians, including torture, executions, and kidnappings.
