Three people are now known to have died from the boat tragedy off St Kitts early Tuesday morning. They are all believed to have been from countries in Africa.

A vessel sank between Antigua and St Kitts this morning, with reports indicating that 15 Cameroonians are missing and one person has died.

Government officials have confirmed that Cameroonians living in Antigua and Barbuda were the majority of individuals on board the vessel, with only half of the 30 passengers being rescued.

The Africans were reportedly trying to get to St Thomas.

Colonel Telbert Benjamin, the Chief of Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, has confirmed that the boat capsized 40 miles northwest of Antigua, and a search operation is currently underway to locate the missing passengers.

The ABDF Coast Guard is collaborating with its St Kitts and Nevis counterparts, as well as the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre from Martinique.

The ABDF has also deployed its fixed-wing aircraft, Alpha One, to aid in the search effort. Col. Benjamin stated that several details are still being ascertained, including the destination of the vessel.

Most of the Cameroonians arrived in Antigua and Barbuda several months ago on a chartered flight and have been stranded.

They claimed that they were promised a connecting flight to the United States and have no intention of returning to their violent-stricken country.

Source: Antiguanews

Cameroon is plunged under water every rainy season. Greenpeace Africa is calling on the government to put in place an effective disaster risk management plan.

The return of the rains this August has caused several floods in three regions of Cameroon (Littoral, Far North and Adamaoua). Faced with this situation, which seems to be getting worse over the years, the Cameroonian government’s responses do not seem to be accurate.

On Monday night (August 21, 2021), a heavy rain fell in the city of Ngaoundéré (Adamaoua Region) causing flooding, with several material damages. The far north region is not left out, since the beginning of August 2021, cases of flooding are recorded in several departments of the region. The case of the city of Douala is symptomatic of this ongoing situation. The consequences are sometimes very heavy, including loss of life. These floods that are becoming recurrent in Cameroon as in several other countries of the world are one of the strong signs that climate change is a reality and require urgent action from leaders.

Ranece Jovial Ndjeudja, Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, says, “We need to attack the root of the problem. The floods we are experiencing today are the result of little to no foresight on the part of the government.” 

In 2020 alone, nearly 160,000 people were affected by flooding in the far north of Cameroon, a region already heavily impacted by the exactions of the Boko Haram sect and which like the rest of the world had to deal with the COVID 19 pandemic.

Greenpeace Africa calls on the government of Cameroon to take its responsibilities and reconsider its international commitments in terms of risk management and natural disasters, protection of people and the fight against climate change. “We note that, for cities like Douala and Yaoundé, the outflow of rivers from their beds is partly linked to the clogging of drains by plastic bottles. Where are we with the ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastic packaging decided in 2014?  It is clear that its implementation was limited to the first weeks of the signing of the decree!”, says Ranèce Jovial Ndjeudja. 

It is more than urgent for Cameroon to ensure the implementation of the measures in its contingency plan. It is also important to put in place adaptation measures in order to prevent disasters related to the changing climate but also to protect people and their property, and thus remain consistent with its international commitments in the fight against climate change.

The Ambazonia Interim Government has said that all Southern Cameroons restoration movements including Ambazonian resistance groups will keep up their confrontation against the French Cameroun regime until the complete liberation of the Ambazonia homeland from Yaoundé’s occupation.

Dabney Yerima, Vice President of the Ambazonia Interim Government made the remarks on Thursday during a zoom meeting with Ground Zero commanders, the Interim Government reported.

The exiled Southern Cameroons leader, however, affirmed that the Ambazonian people all over the world would always be united while confronting the French Cameroun occupation until there would be no place for the invaders in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

“All Southern Cameroons fronts are united throughout Ground Zero,” Yerima said, describing Buea as the arrowhead of the ongoing struggle against the occupying French Cameroun regime.

By Chi Prudence Asong

The Appeal Court in Yaoundé has rejected Francophone businessman, Amougou Belinga lawyer’s request to release him.

Court extended detention of Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga, who is held on charges of murdering journalist Martinez Zogo.

Amougou Beliga is being charged with murder of the much respected journalist and whistleblower Martinez Zogo.

The prosecution indicated that the suspect took advantage of his connection to the security apparatus of the state and killed the radio host.

The CEO of the press group l’Anecdote left Kondengui prison in Yaoundé this Thursday, March 23, 2023 for the Court of Appeal hoping he was going to get a provisional release but the request was rejected.

The hearing lasted a couple of minutes and the Court of Appeal announced the postponement of the case to April.

The disgraced Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga was remanded in custody on Saturday, March 4, 2023 by the Military Court in Yaoundé for “complicity in torture by aiding and abetting” in the case of Martinez Zogo, the whistleblower journalist kidnapped on January 17, 2023 before being murdered shortly after.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Four Cameroon government soldiers were killed and several others, including two civilians, were injured by a highway bomb in Amchide and Sabon Gari in the Far North region, where Boko Haram militants are active, military told Cameroon Intelligence Report Wednesday.

We gathered that a BIR patrol vehicle hit a mine on the main road linking Amchide and Sabon Gari. A bike rider and one resident were also caught in the blast.

“Four soldiers died in the explosion and many others were badly injured while two civilians were also injured,” our source said.

Cameroon government military leadership in the Far North region accused Boko Haram militants of planting the bomb.

Yaoundé did not immediately respond to a request for official comment.

Boko Haram has launched several attacks in and around the Far North region, targeting troops loyal to the Biya Francophone regime.

By Nelly Epupa with files from Rita Akana