The flags of 21 countries in Africa, Europe and America were hoisted at the courtyard of the International War College Simbock Yaoundé to mark the end of 11 months of war training. The senior military officers received lectures in strategic and operational planning, geopolitics and how to command joint military and multinational forces.

The 12th batch composed of 62 senior military officers is the highest in number ever trained in one session since the establishment of the institution. The Commander of the Institution, Major General Esaïe Ngambo referred to the trainees as fine grains in the domains of conception and elaboration, analysis and decision making at strategic level within national and multinational armies.

Each laureate received an attestation (War College Certificate) and insignias of the institution, on Wednesday the 19th July 2017, during a ceremony presided over by the Secretary of state in the Ministry of Defense in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Jean Baptiste Bokam. The Gendarmerie boss challenged the officers to use the newly acquired knowledge to end conflicts and fight against terrorism in Africa.

A keynote presentation from one of the trainees on the theme “What Development Model for Africa” focused on the need for African countries to think beyond national boundaries and set common development agenda based on the 2060 vision of the African Union. The graduation ceremony was also occasion to pay tribute to some 34 Cameroon soldiers who went missing after their ship wrecked off the coast of Dibunsha in the South West region.

Major General Esaïe Ngambo regretted the loss and announced that one of the victims of the accident, Lieutenant Colonel Moussa who was leading the troops received training from the War College in 2016. The French government which is a key partner with the war college was represented by Ambassador Gilles Thibault who congratulated the trainees and pledged continuous French support in the areas of training and logistics essential to continental security.

Source: CRTV

Four employees of the Buea city council have been on strike since Monday morning demonstrating at the esplanade of the residence of the Francophone governor of the Southwest region.

They say the current Buea council leadership is owing them 24 months of wage arrears. The strikers who sought an audience with the CPDM boss of the Southwest region were unable to obtain it. Nevertheless, they are determined to carry on with their strike action.

“They want to see how far we can go but we are determined to go all the way, it’s our right, it’s our money, we do not know how we’re going to send our children to school. The Mayor is building houses everywhere, changing employees all the time,” said Hans Manga, one of the protesters contacted by Radio Equinoxe.

A staff delegate who spoke earlier on the same radio noted that the strikers did nothing to try to meet the mayor before embarking on their disengagement action.

By Sama Ernest
Cameroon Concord News

An investigation is underway and a crisis committee has been set up after the sinking of a military vessel that left Douala on Sunday morning en route to the Bakassi peninsula. The nation’s military spokesman confirmed late yesterday that 34 soldiers were missing and that there were only three survivors. The boat was ferrying soldiers of the Rapid Intervention Battalion BIR, on a logistical mission transporting equipment destined for the military base in Bakassi.

According to a statement from the Cameroon army, the ship was an LCM, a ship designed to carry and disembark vehicles. It was commissioned in 2009 and was currently shuttling between Limbe and Bakassi on the border with Nigeria. It carried “supplies and equipment” for BIR’s civil-military activities in the peninsula. The Rapid Response Battalion is currently building infrastructure there and carries out development work.

The army says the sea was very rough on that fateful Sunday and the weather conditions abruptly deteriorated. And it was six in the morning when the “Mundemba” sank with 37 people on board. According to Colonel Didier Badjeck, bad weather was responsible for the accident. “This zone is a zone that is particularly dangerous and so the weather can change very, very brutally. Sure they were caught in a bad wave that had to overturn the boat. The operation station immediately lost the boat. There was no alert from the crew. It’s an accident that happened suddenly, “he says.

For the time being, rescue operations are continuing. The navy has deployed its diving teams, but the chances of finding survivors are dwindling hour by hour. A source inside the military hinted Cameroon Concord News that the army was now involved in a recovery operation.

By Rita Akana
Cameroon Concord News

The regime in Yaoundé has confirmed that a logistics boat of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR that left the Douala metropolis en route to Mudemba on Sunday the 16th of July 2017 disappeared with 30 soldiers on-board.

The CPDM government statement said, the ship was heading to the Bakassi peninsula and the crew was headed by Lieutenant Colonel Moussa. We understand the logistics boat of the Rapid Intervention Battalion sank to the bottom of the waters at Debuncha in the South West region.

President Biya has reportedly set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shipwreck en route to Bakassi. A crisis unit has been working since yesterday at the Ministry of Defense in Yaoundé and Limbé.

A statement by Joseph Beti Assomo, the minister delegate at the presidency in charge of defense, revealed that three soldiers were rescued after the boat capsized. The outcome of this sad incident is expected soon from the commission of inquiry chaired by the Secretary of State for Defense in charge of the Gendarmerie.

By Rita Akana
Cameroon Concord News

The Bafut airport in the Bamenda County is set to begin receiving airplanes from La Republique du Cameroun. With no roads linking Bamenda and the West region, the man representing Francophone interest in the county, Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique and the General Manager of Camairco, Ernest Dikoum have ascertained the readiness of the airport ahead of the inaugural flight on 20th July 2017 inaugural flight.

During an evaluation visit to the airport the GM of the Cameroon Airlines company and the Governor were satisfied with the state of equipment and the enthusiasm of the staff. The Director of the Airport’s management Corporation (ADC), Angu Anyangwe Richard and the civil aviation team leader, Mukete Simon took the visiting delegation round the different installation including the Control Tower which they confirm was in good working condition and eagerly waiting for planes.

A brand new automatic weather station which is indispensable during landing and takeoff of flights was presented to the visiting delegation by the head of the metro-logical facility, Tamfu Julius. Airport authorities noted that repairs works are on course to check cracks and grass on the run way. They also reassured the officials that potable water will be made available at the airport and a standby generator has already been installed to pre-empt eventual blackouts.

With regards to airport safety, they expressed satisfaction with the equipment and readiness of the Fire Brigade. Other issues related to security were discussed during a close door session. Governor, Adolphe Lele Lafrique reassured Camairco boss of the assistance of the administration and security forces. The launch of direct flights to Bamenda is in line with the new policy of the national carrier to capitalize and develop internal and sub-regional flights.

Source: CRTV

The Governor of the Far North Region has visited the victims of the recent suicide attack in Waza in the Logone et Shari Division. Governor Mijiyawa Bakari was at the Maroua Regional Hospital with an encouragement package from President Biya to the victims who are receiving treatment after a suicide bomber ignited her explosive belt at a makeshift restaurant in the town of Waza.

Financial support provided by the 84 year old dictator to the victims was handed over to each of them with words of consolation from the Presidency. 15 people have died from the incident while close to 40 others were injured in the attack. The Governor revealed that the suicide bomber was a young lady who pretended to be a client at the restaurant.

Defense and security forces neutralized one of the suicide bombers before she ignited her explosive while a third is said to be a large. Governor Bakari reassured the population that the security situation in the region is under government control. He however called on the population to remain vigilant as the terrorists have changed their tactics and mode of operation.

He said that in previous attacks, suicide bombers came by day and in small numbers of one a two bomb carriers but in the latest case, about four or more made the trip with the aim of causing pain and sorrow. The Governor also congratulated members of vigilante groups and the defense and security forces for their bravery and urged them to adapt their strategies to the new menaces posed by the Boko haram terrorist group.

Shortly after the incident, the Minister of Communication made public a press release to shed light on the incident. He indicated that a second female suicide bomber who was heading to the camp of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR in Waza, was shot by soldiers and the local bomb squad immediately deactivated her explosive to avoid further casualties. The release added that fourteen people, including two suicide bombers, lost their lives and thirty-five people were injured in the double bombings.

Soldiers from the BIR patrol unit immediately secured the sites of the explosion, rescued the wounded and evacuated them to appropriate health facilities. The Minister of Communication hinted that President Biya has prescribed emergency measures to the competent authorities to ensure that the injured were properly taken care of.

Source: CRTV

A young gendarmerie officer opened fire today Friday, July 14, 2017 on his comrades in service at the Gendarmerie legion at Kousseri, in the Far North region.

The officer killed four and seriously wounded one of his colleagues. Unconfirmed reports say the killings are linked to a love affair with the young officer’s wife.

The victims are:
– Captain Ondoua, company commander (deceased)
– Gendarme Ndengue Carole, deceased
– Gendarme May Bébé, deceased
– Gendarme Moulioum, Injured

A civilian lady working in the kitchen department named as Madam Ibrahim was also killed. The alleged murderer has been identified as Constable Jude Woumessi

Two bombers blew themselves up in northeastern Cameroon, killing 14 people and injuring 30 in an attack likely staged by Boko Haram terrorists, security sources said Thursday. The bombings, which took place on Wednesday evening in Waza near the Nigerian border, targeted a busy area in the market town, the sources said. The bombers struck an area with “restaurants, telephone cabins and kiosks,” a local official said.

“The town has been sealed off. Nobody can enter and nobody can leave,” the source said, adding that some of the wounded were in “quite serious” conditions. Though Boko Haram was born in Nigeria, the Daesh-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, prompting the formation of a regional force to fight back.

Cameroon’s Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm. Six civilians were killed in mid-June in a double suicide attack in Kolofata, and two others died in Limani at the start of last month when a female bomber blew herself up near the town’s public school. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their homes in fear of the violence.

(Source: AFP)

Consternation gripped the people of Momo division in the North West region after two prominent Fons disappeared in a road accident which occurred last Saturday July 8, 2017 in the west region.

A witness recounts that the two Fons were on their way to Yaoundé when road safety Gendarmes stopped them around Batoum in Bangante but the driver reportedly added speed but unfortunately met face-to-face with an oncoming vehicle.

The two Fons passed on shortly after. A source disclosed that HRH Dr Akam of Kai village and HRH Jokem of Mbwngwi were heading to Yaoundé to answer the call of Minister Mbah Acha Rose of Supreme State Audit for her maiden outing.

It is believed that several other Fons were awaited in Yaoundé for the meeting. HRH Dr Akam was a lecturer in the Faculty of Arts in the University of Buea.

The Secretary General of National Fons Union,HRH Chaffa XI of Bangolan told CIN that he was aware of the incident but could not give further detailes adding that North West Fons Union could react on that because it falls within their competence.

Source: Cameroon Info.Net

A top political leader and high officer of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate in the Fako constituency has been caught up in an academic certificate forgery fiasco that threatens his professional and political career. The Mayor of Buea, Patrick Ekema is the first Southern Cameroonian CPDM baron to be mired in the potentially damaging farce ever since the beginning of the Anglophone crisis.

The South West Regional Secretary for Human Rights and Freedom, Barrister Tambe Tiku told journalists that investigations are ongoing to establish the validity of the academic papers of various public servants, including prominent West Cameroon government officials, senior and junior South West regional officers.

Recently, Barrister Tambe Tiku said the mayor of Buea has fake academic papers and recommended that the Minister of Public Service prosecute him. Tambe Tiku revealed that the vocal mayor presented forged certificates to gain admission into the University of Buea and used the same fake certificate as he sought nomination in the run-up to the General Election that made him mayor. Patrick Ekema’s Masters degree including his O and A level certificates Diploma Certificates were forged.

Barrister Tambe Tiku’s investigations further revealed that the mayor made a false declaration under oath through a self-declaration form to the ruling CPDM Central Committee. The Barrister Tambe Tiku report, whose findings has been endorsed recommends that Mayor Patrick Ekema be charged with numerous counts of forgery.

The degree and diploma certificates of some key CPDM leaders, including governors, MPs and heads of government bodies, have never been subjected to security authentication, after questions were raised on how they were acquired many years ago in Yaoundé. Mayor Ekema has also been involved in forgery of academic papers to secure employment for his acolytes and mistresses in the Buea Council.

The Tambe Tiku revelations backed by a cream of prominent academics, showed that Mayor Ekema Patrick submitted forged GCE Advance level Certificate during his admission and subsequent promotion in the Buea city council. Mayor Ekema has since not denied forging the certificates and is yet to make public his certificate number. Ekema supporters have declared that he was a bona fide student of the University of Buea and have also been fighting allegations that he did not graduate from the University.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai
Cameroon Concord News