Ngeh Cyprian, the notorious Ambazonian separatist warlord known as “The Only Bro,” has once again been involved in multiple brutal incidents in Kedjom Ketinguh. His latest wave of kidnappings and torture further highlights the deteriorating security situation in Cameroon’s North West Region and raises troubling questions about the intersection of separatist violence, state inaction, and national politics.
Six Civilians Kidnapped for Ransom
According to eyewitness accounts verified by Mimi Mefo Info (MMI), Cyprian’s group recently abducted six civilians in Kedjom Ketinguh. Among the victims were prominent businessman Sama Ntangsi, along with individuals identified as Mbiehme, Monju, and Vichas. Each victim was reportedly asked to pay a ransom of three million FCFA.
While some families managed to raise partial amounts, others could not afford the steep demands. One victim secured 600,000 FCFA, but Mr. Vichas, who was only able to provide 50,000 FCFA, was subjected to severe torture. Hospital sources confirmed to MMI that Cyprian allegedly cut the veins at the back of Vichas’ feet, leaving him to bleed to death. Despite the odds, Vichas managed to survive and is currently receiving medical attention. Speaking from his hospital bed, he told MMI: “I told them I didn’t have the money. Then he took a knife and cut me, saying I would die from the bleeding. I thought that was the end.”
A Pattern of Violence Against Civilians
This latest atrocity adds to a long record of human rights abuses attributed to Cyprian. In August 2025, during a funeral in Kedjom Ketinguh for a young man killed by the military, Cyprian allegedly executed the brother of the deceased in front of mourners. Villagers later told MMI that he returned seeking the grieving mother, who had already fled the village in fear for her life.
Cyprian has also been linked to earlier attacks. In February 2025, his forces invaded Bamessing and killed at least five civilians, including a woman and her newborn child, who they forcibly removed from a Catholic church before executing them.
Days later, his group stormed a funeral in Kedjom Ketinguh, abducted mourners, stole four vehicles, and demanded a ransom of 28 million FCFA.
In January 2025, he abducted and tortured Leo Vishi Newuh, leading to his death.
In August 2024, he threatened the people of Bamukumbit with mass kidnappings if they did not raise 12 million FCFA to fund his operations.
A Kedjom elder, speaking anonymously, told MMI: “This man has brought nothing but death and suffering. Today it is ransom, tomorrow it is executions. We are trapped between the government and the fighters, but his cruelty is unmatched.”
Questionable Allegiances: Separatist or Regime Ally?
Cyprian has long claimed loyalty to Samuel Ikome Sako, a U.S.-based leader of one faction of the Ambazonian separatist movement. Yet an exclusive MMI video investigation revealed a portrait of President Paul Biya displayed prominently in Cyprian’s home. Such portraits are widely recognised as symbols of allegiance to Cameroon’s ruling CPDM party — raising sharp questions about Cyprian’s true loyalties.
Analysts suggest that this contradiction could point to a double agenda: publicly posing as a separatist commander while privately aligning with regime interests. “The Biya portrait is not just decoration. It suggests Cyprian could be serving multiple masters, and his violence may be part of a larger political play,” said one regional security expert.
Silence from Authorities Raises Questions
Despite repeated reports of kidnappings, torture, and killings in Kedjom Ketinguh and beyond, Cameroonian authorities have yet to take decisive action against Ngeh Cyprian. Local residents argue that security forces are either unable or unwilling to confront him. Some analysts suggest this inaction may be deliberate, pointing to the unusual discovery of a portrait of President Paul Biya in Cyprian’s home.
“The government cannot claim ignorance,” said one civil society activist in Bamenda. “When a man commits crimes of this scale and the military remains inactive, the public wonders if he serves state interests.”
Cyprian’s violence raises suspicion that authorities tolerate, if not exploit, it to suppress opposition participation in the Anglophone regions ahead of the 2025 elections.
The Electoral Dimension
These revelations come at a sensitive time as Cameroon approaches another election cycle. President Paul Biya, now 92 years old, faces dwindling support for his CPDM party, especially in northern regions that traditionally secure large vote margins.
Observers warn that actors like Ngeh Cyprian could serve a strategic role by terrorising communities in the Anglophone region, displacing residents, and preventing opposition-friendly populations from voting. With over one million registered voters in the Northwest and Southwest, mass abstentions could play directly into CPDM’s favour.
In the 2018 elections, Biya secured victory with just 2.5 million votes, 1.5 million of which came from Cameroon’s three northern regions. Any further decline in turnout in the Anglophone regions could once again tip the balance in favour of the ruling party.
A Growing Crisis of Accountability
The case of Ngeh Cyprian highlights a broader crisis of accountability in Cameroon’s Anglophone conflict. For years, civilians have been caught between state repression and separatist violence, with commanders like Cyprian exploiting the chaos for ransom, control, and possibly political utility.
As the 2025 elections draw closer, the persistence of such actors in conflict zones, and the lack of state response, raise urgent questions about the credibility of the electoral process and the future of security in Cameroon.
