Over half a billion has been paid as ransom to Ambazonian fighters within the past four months – Minister Atanga Nji

Cameroon’s Territorial Administration Minister, Atanga Nji Paul says over half a billion has been paid as ransom to Ambazonian fighters in the North West and South West regions.

This he says was between November 2019 to February 2020.

Noting that mobile money accounts are the easiest way for the fighters to conduct the transactions, the minister has given a 45 day ultimatum for mobile telephone networks with mobile money platforms to enable customers retrieve money mistakenly transferred.

Addressing the media, minister Atanga Nji said within a four day period he “received nearly 340 complaints. Honest citizens came complaining that separatists holding their loved ones demanded that they be paid using the MTN or Orange money services.”

In the light of these challenges, the minister said he “called the people in charge to make a mandatory identification of those who send and receive money through these mechanisms.”

Weeks back, several customers of MTN it should be recalled raised worries stating that money was being withdrawn from their accounts.

Residents in the restive Anglophone regions have also raised several worries, noting that they have been compelled to make payments for the release of their kidnapped loved ones through mobile money platforms but cannot have the culprits traced.

MMI