On the morning of February 19, residents of Nkwen, Bamenda, discovered a young man dead, with clear signs of severe torture evident before he succumbed to his injuries.
Local inhabitants suspect someone assaulted the victim elsewhere, and he later died at the location where residents found him.
MMI confirmed he was the only son of a family living abroad, and reports suggest he became involved in drug consumption in recent years.
The discovery comes amid rising concerns over insecurity in Nkwen, with multiple reports of nighttime attacks and thefts. A local vegetable vendor, who has been selling washed bitterleaf for 18 years, recounted a harrowing experience from the previous night.
“I have never been attacked before, even though I often wash vegetables at night,” she said. “But last night, a young man pounced on me. I screamed for help, and before the population gathered, he had escaped.”
Residents say such incidents have become frequent, forcing many to avoid staying out late.
“For a while now, we have not kept late nights because thieves always harass us,” one inhabitant lamented.
According to information gathered by MMI, the deceased was reportedly in the company of two others, who managed to escape, leaving him behind.
The circumstances surrounding the young man’s death remain unclear, and investigators will determine whether it links to criminal activity or mob justice. However, considering Cameroon’s history of not investigating such cases, one might not expect much.
