Momo SDO condemns separatist execution of civilians

The Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Momo, Fouda Etaba Benoit Narcaise, has lashed out at separatist fighters for publicly executing two civilians in Guzang, Batibo Subdivision.

The two men, who were being accused of working with the Cameroon military, were pulled out of their homes on Wednesday and shot dead under the watch of hundreds of civilians.

They were publicly shot at the Guzang Market Square in Batibo Subdivision of the North West Region at about 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

In a release signed Thursday, October 5, the SDO said it was a “barbaric and unacceptable act of violence” against unarmed civilians.

“In these sad circumstances, the Senior Divisional Officer for Momo reprehends, in strong terms, this barbaric and unacceptable act of violence, perpetrated in utter violation of human rights, on unarmed innocent civilians.”

Mbanyamsig Hansel Ndi, one of those executed, was the younger brother to the Fon of Guzang village, HRH Fon Gwan Mbanyamsig III. His body has been preserved at the Bali District Hospital mogue, the SDO said.

The other victim, Aburo Cletus Njohgo, a petit trader at the Guzang market, was buried the same day by family members.

This was yet another instance of ruthless attacks on civilians by Ambazonia separatists, who have been clamouring for a separate state since 2017.

Last month, separatist fighters killed several civilians who were accused of working against their cause.

Among them were two head teachers who were killed in Boyo Division for promoting back-to-school, and three civilians who were killed in Buea for violating a lockdown.

The Momo SDO used the unfortunate incident in Guzang to seduce the population to collaborate with the administration and defence forces to fish out separatist fighters whom he described as “outlaws” and “criminal terrorists”.

Mr. Benoit Narcaise also invited the separatist fighters to drop their weapons and move to the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Center in Bamenda.

The recent incident in Guzang and many others that have happened in the North West and South West Regions recently indicate that separatist fighters are far from crushed as the government claims.

Last week, at the UN General Assembly, the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, told world leaders that the Anglophone Crisis was under government control and many separatist fighters were dropping arms and joining the DDR centres.