Population in distress as government, separatist fighters ‘close’ Bamenda- Enugu corridor

The non circulation of vehicles along the Bamenda-Bali-Batibo of road in the North West region has almost rendered useless and impassable, the Cameroon-Enugu corridor.

Drivers, business persons, farmers and the local population continue to suffer the consequences of the road block.

For close to three weeks now, no vehicle, private or public transport, has been seen plying that stretch of road.

Farmers, drivers, business persons and the local population have been affected negatively. The people are now forced to treck to and from Bali.

Neba, a business man who was in Batibo for a business trip says he was forced to trek to Bamenda.

“I went visiting in Batibo and on my way back, the driver got to the park in Bali and told us we had come to the end of the journey because no car was allowed to go through that stretch to Bamenda. I passed the night in Bali and had to trek to Bamenda the next day”, Neba explained.

Business persons are also complaining of the nature of the road, as it has remarkably affected their income. The blockage has made it difficult for goods to come in from Nigeria, to Batibo and eventually Bamenda for people to run their business.

The situation has led to an increase in prices of goods and services.

“Most of my customers are passengers and not people around the quarter. Most of those who visit our stores are passengers leaving Mamfe, Ekok and Bali. With this blockage, things have been slow as my income has been affected”, a business woman lamented.

The ‘funge’ petrol has also witnessed a hike in prices because vehicles have to pass through difficult circumstances to get to Bamenda.

“My petrol is still across the border because of the road condition. I will have to shutdown when I finish selling the one I have now. We now sell a litre for 800frs because of the scarcity”, a petrol vendor said.

Drivers plying the Bamenda-Bali stretch of road have been more affected as many now face difficulties feeding their families.

“I leave every morning for the park hoping for something positive but I go back empty with nothing to feed my family”, a driver said.

He explained that there’s no one actually seen on the road stopping vehicles from moving but out of fear of the unknown, no one wants to take the risk.

The stalemate began when after an attack on a police convoy, the SDO of Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh, issued a communique banning the circulation of bikes within Bali for a period of three months.

After the ban, messages went viral on social media supposedly from the separatist fighters in Bali subdivision banning the circulation of vehicles.

This strategy used by government to ban the circulation of bikes considered as a to used for the activities of separatist fighters has often been received with resistance.