Anglophone Crisis: 500 arrested!! Francophones residing in West Cameroon urged to help troops with intelligence ²

The Francophone dominated army has raided Bamenda, the main city in the North West province of Southern Cameroons  and arrested more than 500 young men suspected of being followers of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. Cameroon Concord News gathered that the troops from La Republique du Cameroun also seized mobile telephones from hundreds of Southern Cameroonians. During the last ten days, at least 800 Southern Cameroonians have been nabbed in different operations launched by several arms of the Francophone force.

Troops from the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR swung into action at about 4 am today in Bamenda and arrested some 500 people. The Southern Cameroonians arrested were subsequently handed over to a special army unit in the West region for further action.

French speaking Cameroonians residing in Bamenda and Limbe including Buea have been urged to provide useful information to the Francophone troops in order to apprehend Southern Cameroon freedom fighters.  A highly placed military official who spoke to our undercover reporter said the operation will continue to ensure conducive environment for legitimate businesses and schools to thrive in Southern Cameroons.

Another military spokesperson was quoted as saying that Francophone troops will henceforth respond to any tip-off from agents of La Republique du Cameroun and arrest suspected Southern Cameroon militants in any hideout. Corruption, the Boko Haram crisis and the current Southern Cameroons uprising have plunged Cameroon into economic recession.  The country remains burdened by rapidly declining government revenues due to numerous internal conflicts and low oil prices in the world market.

By Rita Akana