The population of Old Town Bamenda woke up to the news that Ambazonia separatist fighters have killed a well-known drug dealer, Hammadou Baba, alias “Baba Axe,”.
Family sources reported that Baba Axe, known for his drug dealings in the area, was abducted around 7:30 PM on the evening of October 18, 2024, along with his newly married wife and one other person from his residence in Old Town Bamenda. By the morning of October 19, residents found his corpse dumped along the road to the Bamenda II Council, at Mbinfibieh. Eyewitnesses reported that someone shot Hammadou in both legs before taking him to an unknown destination.
A resident of Mbinfibieh, who saw the body, expressed horror at the condition of the corpse. “Looking at how shattered the body is, this man wasn’t killed here. He was killed elsewhere and dumped here,” the resident said.
The separatist fighters are reportedly demanding a ransom of 10 million FCFA for the release of Hammadou’s wife, along with the other individual they kidnapped. Though no group has officially claimed responsibility for the murder and abductions, suspicions point to the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), led by Ayaba Cho, which is active in the Alabukam and Tsualam neighbourhoods of Bamenda II subdivision.
The separatists’ increasing use of ransom tactics has added another layer of fear and uncertainty for residents in parts of the North West Region.
Shortly after discovering his body, they buried Mohammadou in accordance with the Muslim faith, while the whereabouts of those abducted remain unknown.
