The national chairman of the main opposition party in Cameroon, Ni John Fru Ndii, has declared that he will ‘not be presenting his candidature for the 2018 presidential elections’. The veteran politician founded the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in 1990 and has led the party since then.

Speaking at the special congress of the party held in Bamenda, 77 year old Ndii reportedly said he was leaving the stage for the younger generation. I will not present my candidature for the Presidential election, I want you to chose who is best to be the flag bearer.

Ndii has recently been embroiled in a war of words with secessionists in the Anglophone region who wanted the SDF congress moved from Bamenda to Yaounde.

Ndii maintains that he is an Anglophone citizen who is not pro-secession. Analysts will now watch whether 49 year old Joshua Osih, who is currently the deputy of the party, will now seek to be nominated as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

Electoral activities ahead of the presidential election , have already started, and the opposition party recently met in the restive Bamenda region and declared that it would participate in the March 25 senatorial polls.

President Paul Biya is expected to seek another term in office after over three decades in charge of the Central African nation. The country is currently riled by secessionist elements in the Anglophone regions – northwest and southwest regions.

Source: Africa News

Cameroon has a new military region created to cater for security needs in the west and northwest region, the state-owned CRTV has reported.

President Paul Biya signed directives reorganizing the country’s defense forces leading to the splitting into two of the former military region [Région militaire interarmées – RMIA] RMIA 2 which is based in Douala.

The new region becomes the fifth (RMIA 5) and is headquarted in capital of the northwest region Bamenda. It is to be headed by General Agha Robinson Ndong while General Julius Caesar Ellie has been appointed commander of its Gendarmerie region (RG5).

The measure is seen as a clear plan to deal with the raging Anglophone crisis that has rocked the country since October 2017. Separatists in the region continue to engage in deadly clashes with security forces.

Under the banner of the so-called Ambazonia republic, separatists are pushing a breakaway of the Anglophone regions (northwest and southwest) from French-majority Cameroon.

The government has insisted that the region remains secured and has declared the separatists terrorists. Last month, Nigeria deported about 47 separatists to Yaounde, the deportees included a known separatist leader, Julius Sisuku Ayuk Tabe.

Nigeria has also been bearing the brunt of the crisis in Cameroon with the continuing influx of refugees. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has reported that thousands of people have arrived in Nigeria over the past few months.

Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis

What began in 2017 as peaceful protests by Anglophone activists against perceived marginalization by Cameroon’s Francophone-dominated elite has become the gravest challenge yet to President Paul Biya, who is expected to seek to renew his 35-years in power in an election next year.

Government repression – including ordering thousands of villagers in the Anglophone southwest to leave their homes – has driven support for a once-fringe secessionist movement, stoking a lethal cycle of violence.

The secessionists declared an independent state called Ambazonia on Oct. 1. Since then, thousands have fled to Nigeria, including 2,300 who fled in a single day on Dec. 4 fearing government reprisals after raids by separatists militants killed at least six soldiers and police officers.

At the end of World War One, Germany’s colony of Kamerun was carved up between allied French and British victors, laying down the basis for a language split that still persists.

English speakers make up less than a fifth of the population of Cameroon, concentrated in former British territory near the Nigerian border that was joined to the French-speaking Republic of Cameroon the year after its independence in 1960. French speakers have dominated the country’s politics since.

Source: Africa News

There are reports of an Ambazonian Tigers attack on a convoy transporting the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for the Ndop constituency.  Images aired on social media tell of a ghastly car crash. However, a message made public by an unknown source in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia noted that the Ambazonian militants attacked the SDO’s vehicle with explosives.

Cameroon Concord News is yet to confirm the correctness of this developing story. The Cameroon government spokesman and minister of communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary has also not commented on the happenings in Ndop.

We gathered from the release that all members of the SDO’s entourage including the prefect and 4 elements of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR were killed.

By Chi Prudence Asong

The family of the Southern Cameroons medic, Dr Veh Dinga-Nguh shot in Bamenda yesterday by French Cameroun gendarmes has decided to evacuate her to Europe for proper treatment, Cameroon Concord News has learned.

Our Yaoundé city reporter hinted that there is a bullet stuck in her iliac bone on the pelvis. Such surgeries cannot be done in Yaoundé.

We are keeping a watchful eye on this story and we will update our readers on any latest development.

By Rita Akana

A slow-moving ground offensive, the assault on Akwaya by French Cameroun government forces threatens to become a protracted standoff, deepening an already dire humanitarian situation. It could also prove costly for the Biya regime, diplomatically and militarily. So far, nearly 250 civilians in Akwaya, according to a sister publication Cameroon Intelligence Report have been killed. Seven children were killed in rocket attacks launched from Egbekaw on the Manyu River on the 10^th of February 2018.

Chief Alana Valentine, Chief Odape Hans of Kajinga, Chief  Dan and Chief  Adejua  Ndumbe  of Meyerim  villages in the Akwaya  sub constituency have all escaped the fighting and   are currently  seeking refuge  at the premises  of the Divisional officer in Akwaya town. Cameroon Concord News gathered that the traditional rulers are wanted by the Amba Tigers for actions against the Ambazonia struggle.

We understand Chief Adejua Ndumbe of Meyerim village on the 10th of February escaped beatings and his palace was burnt down. For his part, Chief Odape Hans of Kajinga village who is the current Section President of the ruling CPDM party has been told to stay away from the village.

On the 11^th of February,  Ambazonia  fighters were able to attacked the grand stand leaving one element  of the Rapid Intervention Battalion  and the principal  of GTHS Akwaya with life threatening injuries.  Civil servants in Akwaya have been asking for long term leave as the area has become ungovernable.

Akwaya Sub division is the biggest and oldest in Cameroon.  It is made up of 99 villages and a  majority  of its citizens  are now  refugees in the Federal Republic of  Nigeria  as a result of the  current  socio- political  crisis in Southern Cameroons.

By  Judith  Fon in Mamfe

A twenty years old gendarmerie officer was killed on Sunday at the Nguti sub constituency in the South West region in an attack linked to the Amba Tigers.

In two weeks, at least six gendarmes have been killed in anti government operations attributed to the Southern Cameroons crisis. This new murder brings to 26, the number of Cameroonian gendarmes killed by the Southern Cameroons militants.

The Francophone authorities of the North-West and South-West decided to introduce the curfew, and prolonged it for a week after the 11^th of February. During the curfew, travel is limited or prohibited between 20h (19h GMT) to 6h (5h GMT).

Rita Akana

The paramount ruler of Upper Muea HRH IKOME DAVID MOLINGE has disappeared. Cameroon Concord News has gotten information that Chief Molinge traveled to the land of his ancestors this morning. His daughter, Princess Joan Molinge recently observed that her dad’s health had deteriorated and the late chief had been receiving medical attention in and out of the country.

An aide to the Muea traditional leadership who spoke to us but sued for anonymity lamented that the death of Chief Molinge is a huge loss to the Molinge family and the Fako people in general. Speaking to our reporter, Chief Maliva Ndive Samuel said he received the news of his colleagues’ demise with great shock. He described Chief Molinge as a brave and fearless leader who always stood up and fought for the interest of the Bakweri people.

Late Chief Ikome David Molinge before his death today Monday 19th February 2018, worked with Guinness Cameroun as a Regional Sales Manager in the Northern regions.  He later went into private business and opened the famous king David Square hotel in Muea.

By Tina Ņganda

A gendarmerie officer was murdered today February the 16th in the Southern Cameroons city of Kumba. Cameroon Concord News gathered that the sergeant named as Olinga Mengue was attacked by unknown assailants who stabbed him while on duty at a checkpoint.

Cameroon Info.Net reported that he fought for his life and was able to fire back at his attackers. His remains have been deposited at the Kumba main mortuary. Scores of gendarmes have been murdered in Southern Cameroons since February 1, 2018.

On February 5, 2018, the US State Department reportedly condemned the violence in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia including the killing of two French Cameroun gendarmes in the village of Mbingo and in Bangem.

By Rita Akana

CIR has gotten intelligence that the body of the sub-prefect of Batibo, Namata Marcel Diteng abducted with his driver in the morning of February 11, 2018 by unidentified men has been found in Sabes village in the Upper Banyang Sub constituency in Manyu Division.

The Francophone dominated regime is expected to announce a stop of the massive search operation that was launched after the late DO’s abduction. Our source also hinted that troops loyal to the regime in Yaoundé have stormed Sabes village burning down houses and firing at innocent Southern Cameroonian civilians.

The crisis in Cameroon is getting worse each day as fighting between separatist groups degenerates with casualties on both sides.

By Kingsley Betek

The 85 year-old President Paul Biya has appointed Ernest Nkwandze as interim Divisional Officer for the Batibo constituency in Momo Division following the abduction of Namata Marcel Diteng on February the 11^th by unknown gunmen.  Ernest Nkwandze was installed on February 14, 2018 by the North-West Governor, Adolphe Lélé Lafrique.

The governor reportedly held a working session with the traditional authorities and security officials of the Batibo district and pleaded with the chiefs as well as the population to work in collaboration with the security forces by providing them reliable information in the search of the sub-prefect.

The sub-prefect of Batibo, Namata Marcel Diteng was abducted with his driver in the morning of February 11, 2018 by unidentified men. So far a massive search is continuing to find them.

By Sama Ernest with files from CIN