News

31, October 2022

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Soldiers arrest man for dressing his room in Chelsea FC colours ⁰

Cameroon government army soldiers deployed to Ndu in the North West region have arrested a prominent fan of English Premier League Club Chelsea FC on lame and ridiculous reason that he dressed his bed room in blue colours which is similar to the Ambazonia separatist movement.

Tebopost that made public the story on social media did not reveal the name of the Stamford Bridge fan. Information filtered from Ndu that the Francophone soldiers performed a brutal and unprovoked attack against the Chelsea FC fan before he was ferried away to an unknown destination.

A photo released on face book by family members clearly indicates that he is a Chelsea fan and not a member of the Southern Cameroons separatist movement.

Cameroon Concord News correspondent in Ndu said he has seen video footage shared by some elements of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) showing heavily armed troops placing the young man in a military vehicle.

“For dressing his room with the colours of the football club that he supports in England, he was beaten and kicked like a football by Francophone soldiers” a family member was quoted as saying on a live pidgin news broadcast.

By Sama Ernest

31, October 2022

Chad: Kidnapped Franco-Australian conservationist released by captors ⁰

A French-Australian hostage kidnapped in eastern Chad has been released and is in “good health”, the Chadian Prime Minister announced in a tweet Sunday.

“The kidnapped Franco-Australian hostage… has just been found and taken to safety in good health,” said Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo, congratulating “the defence and security forces for this quick and successful action”.

The individual had been kidnapped on Friday “in the afternoon of 28 October”, Chadian authorities said Saturday, adding they had “mobilised all security and human means to get hold of the kidnappers”.

“The hostage was released in the province of Tibesti (North), in an area bordering Niger and Libya by our defence and security forces,” Ayoub Abdelkerim Abdoulaye, governor of the eastern province of Wadi Fira where the abduction took place, told AFP.

Chadian authorities also reported they worked in Oryx Park on behalf of the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF), a wildlife conservation NGO.

The park is located in the Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim wildlife reserve which extends over 77,950 square kilometres.

The French foreign ministry said Saturday it was “aware of the kidnapping of one of our citizens in Chad” and it was “in contact with their family, and also with the authorities in Chad, in order to secure their speedy release”.

Source: AFP

29, October 2022

Biden denounces ‘despicable’ attack on US Speaker Pelosi’s husband ⁰

An intruder attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull in the early hours after breaking into the couple’s California house in search of the speaker, according to officials.

Addressing a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Biden said political violence had “no place” in the United States, adding “Enough is enough is enough.”

Biden also referenced media reports that the assailant was chanting “Where is Nancy,” the same chant used during the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

“I am not making this up,” Biden said. “This is reported.”

Paul Pelosi was “attacked at home by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the speaker,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said earlier Friday.

Paul Pelosi, 82 — who underwent surgery and is recovering in hospital — was at home alone, as his wife was working in Washington.

With less than two weeks to go before the crucial US midterm elections, members of both parties have sounded the alarm about the potential for political violence.

Source: AFP

29, October 2022

Minister Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh using Biya acolytes to avoid arrest ⁰

State prosecutors of the Special Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the all-powerful Secretary General at the Presidency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh following his refusal to appear before judges on October 18.

Ngoh Ngoh was summoned “physically” on October 18 by investigators to be interviewed in the context of “Covidgate”, a scandal following several cases of misappropriation of public funds and overcharging, documented by a report of the Chamber of Auditors.

Cameroon Intelligence Report now understands the Biya acolyte is presently using his high-level contacts within the security apparatus to avoid arrest.

An aide to the so-called Minister-Secretary General believes that the Special Criminal Court procedure is akin to “harassment” aimed at weakening the head of state’s main collaborator in order to push President Biya to “get rid” of him.

By Rita Akana in Yaoundé

29, October 2022

French Cameroun: Army forced to retreat against Boko Haram ⁰

In the night of 21-22 October, jihadist militants managed to take control of the Cameroonian army’s advanced post in Djibrilli, on the border with Nigeria. The attack has rekindled debate over cuts to military spending in the fight against Boko Haram.

Africa Intelligence reported that recent appointments within the Cameroonian army show that the Biya Francophone regime in Yaounde has made the battle against Ambazonian fighters its military priority. But this high-risk restructuring has depleted resources in the north, where Boko Haram jihadists are now in control.

By Rita Akana with files

26, October 2022

Kidnapping for ransom on the rise in French Cameroun ⁰

Since 2013, communities in Cameroon’s Far North Region have suffered attacks from the violent extremist group Boko Haram. The divisions of Mayo-Tsanaga, Mayo-Sava and Logone-et-Chari have been hardest hit. The terror group has also been responsible for several kidnappings, most recently in the Lake Chad communities of Tchika (in August) and Kofia (in September).

But other groups besides Boko Haram are increasingly kidnapping people, according to research by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Association Sembe in the North and Far North regions. Perpetrators include former shepherds and criminal gangs comprising Cameroonians, Nigerians, Nigeriens and Chadians. The kidnappers live in the bushes and mountains along the Cameroon-Nigeria border and team up with local accomplices who act as informants.

The phenomenon has continued for over a decade, with trends worsening in the past four years. One interviewee said: ‘About 60 cases have been recorded, and a lot more go unreported as most families prefer not to raise the alarm when their loved ones are in captivity.’

People are generally reluctant to involve the authorities in finding their relatives. In most cases, they fear their family members will be killed if the government or security forces become involved, so they negotiate privately with the kidnappers. Families also doubt the security forces’ ability or commitment to free their loved ones safely. Vigilantes are sometimes called on to help but lack the appropriate weapons to confront the criminals.

Kidnappings are more frequent in the dry season when communities are accessible. The attacks often occur late at night. Armed groups of about four to 10 attackers storm houses, sometimes firing shots in the air to dissuade residents from resisting. Many victims are taken across the border into Nigeria, Chad and the Central African Republic or kept in Cameroonian hideouts.

The research shows that subdivisions like Bourrha, Hina, Mogode and Mokolo are the most affected in the Far North. In Cameroon’s North Region, the Touboro subdivision is the hardest hit, with over a dozen cases reported from January to October 2022.

The most targeted villages are situated in rural areas with little or no state presence, including police, gendarmerie or military. It takes time for information to reach the security forces when incidents occur.

The ransom amount demanded depends on the status of the victim or their family and ranges from 1 million CFA francs to tens of millions of CFA francs. Male family heads are often the prime targets, but women and children are also taken.

Negotiations take days, sometimes weeks, with gangs upping the pressure and threats to obtain the ransom. They use well-planned tactics to cover their tracks, including regular changes of hideouts in or outside Cameroon. Victims are usually released unharmed once the criminals’ demands are met, but some are injured if their families delay paying the ransom.

In places where Boko Haram’s terror attacks are rife, kidnapping by criminal gangs is almost non-existent. These include Moskota, Tourou, Kolofata, Amchide and Fotokol, among others. However Boko Haram seeks to expand into new areas, as is happening in Nigeria, so communities cannot afford to be complacent.

Efforts have been made to address the problem. On 3 August, the gendarmerie uncovered a gang of male and female kidnappers in Ngong in Cameroon’s North Region after the abduction of a four-year-old girl. In June, gendarmes arrested 10 people responsible for several incidents in Badjengo. In the same month, the Rapid Intervention Battalion secured the release of eight hostages in Touboro. The security forces’ success and restoration of order were credited to their close collaboration with local authorities.

While Boko Haram takes hostages not just for ransom but to use as recruits, suicide bombers, labourers and brides for fighters, economic gain remains the primary motivation for the ongoing kidnappings.

Before Boko Haram, highway robbers terrorised border communities in the North and Far North regions. But the terrorist insurgency has made the areas more volatile. Criminal groups now have access to more sophisticated arms, and some have adopted Boko Haram’s modus operandi. Security forces are more likely to be deployed where Boko Haram attacks are high, leaving other border villages with little or no protection. This makes them fertile ground for criminal gangs.

The increase in kidnapping networks could see Cameroon’s security situation degenerate further. The more money these groups make, the more powerful they become, with the potential for staging further high-profile attacks. The lucrative nature of kidnapping could attract recruits to the gangs and enable them to equip themselves better.

ISS research shows how Boko Haram and bandits team up in Nigeria to carry out criminal activities, including kidnapping. The proximity and coordination between these groups in Cameroon mean the same could happen there.

Kidnappings are causing untold hardship in border communities already suffering from poverty and the effects of climate change. Insecurity has also fractured community life, as villagers have become more suspicious of one another.

More police, gendarmes and military posts are needed across border communities. At the same time, civilians and law enforcement must collaborate to share information and build mutual trust. Authorities need to tap into existing community-centred approaches to enhance vigilance and tracking capabilities. And those accused of abductions must be arrested and prosecuted.

Building the socio-economic resilience of communities is also essential to help them resist the lures of bandit groups.

Culled from ISS Africa

25, October 2022

Resistance sole way to free Southern Cameroons, defeat enemies of Ambazonia ⁰

The Vice President of the Ambazonia Interim Government Dabney Yerima says resistance is the sole way to liberate Southern Cameroons and defeat the occupying forces. The Ambazonian front line figure called on all Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora to unite around the Southern Cameroons struggle against occupation.

Dabney Yerima made the remarks in a message to a Southern Cameroons think tank in Scotland on Monday and emphasized the need for unity in line with the ideology of the jailed Southern Cameroons leaders and said the only way to liberate the Federal Republic of Ambazonia from the Biya Francophone regime, defeat the enemies, and restore grandeur is through resistance.

“If there is anything that has greatly delayed our trip to Buea, it stems from divisions,” said Dabney Yerima. The exiled Ambazonia leader furthered that Yaoundé’s power lies in rifts among Southern Cameroonians, Southern Cameroonians should therefore unite, since unity will serve as a firm fortress for the people of Ambazonia and will guarantee progress toward freedom.

He urged the Southern Cameroonians in Ground Zero to boycott and criminalize any activity with the Biya French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé and show respect for religious institutions and clerics.

Vice President Dabney Yerima likewise voiced support for Amba fighters in Ground Zero, who have been dealing with French Cameroun terrorism since 2016.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from the Cameroon Concord News London Bureau

24, October 2022

Prevent Rather than Fight the Next Pandemic with a One Health Approach: World Bank ⁰

As the world continues to deal with the devastating effects of COVID-19, the World Bank is today releasing a new report that proposes actionable solutions to end the cycle of devastating pandemics.

The pace of emerging infectious disease (EID) outbreaks has increased at an average annual rate of 6.7 percent from 1980 onwards and the number of outbreaks has grown to several hundred per year since 2000. This is largely due to humans extending their global footprint, altering natural habitats, and accelerating the spillover of animal microbes into human populations.

Seventy-five percent of EIDs and almost all known pandemics result from increased contact between animals and people, causing more than 1 billion human infections and 1 million deaths each year. This, coupled with increasing movement of goods and people around the world, has demonstrated the ease of spread and volatility of EIDs.

In Putting Pandemics Behind Us: Investing in One Health to Reduce Risks of Emerging Infectious Diseases, policymakers, governments, and the international community are urged to invest in pandemic prevention and to move away from the business-as-usual approach based on containment and control after a disease has emerged. The report estimates that prevention costs guided by a One Health approach – which would sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems – would range from $10.3 billion to $11.5 billion per year, compared to the cost of managing pandemics which, according to the recent estimate by the G20 Joint Finance and Health Taskforce, amounts to about $30.1 billion per year.

“Prevention is better than cure. COVID-19 has shown that a pandemic risk anywhere becomes a pandemic risk everywhere. The economic case for One Health is powerful – the cost of prevention is extremely modest compared to the cost of managing and responding to pandemics,” said Mari Pangestu, World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships.

Prevention costs are only about a third of the cost of preparedness, and less than 1 percent of the cost of COVID-19 in 2020 – when the global economy contracted by 4.3% or about $3.6 trillion worth of goods, services and other output lost, and the public health response. Ultimately, prevention is a global public good: no country can be excluded from benefiting and there is no limit to how many countries can benefit. Unfortunately, there is chronic underinvestment in prevention and countries must take action. In addition, when prevention is successful, the benefits are invisible and do not manifest as crises that demand immediate attention. One Health is the global approach required to break this cycle of panic, neglect, and underinvestment.

Successful implementation of One Health will require improved coordination, communication, and collaboration between sectors reinforced by capacity building. It means managing trade-offs between development and holistic health objectives, and sharing costs more equitably through global coordination of policy and financing actions.

Investing in One Health is an investment in humanity’s future. The framework is holistic and helps governments, international organizations, and donors direct financial resources to optimize scarce funding resources and prevent pandemics. One Health actions to prevent disease outbreaks are cost-effective, with an estimated annual rate of return of up to 86 percent. Now is the time to mainstream One-Health, leave the cycle of panic and neglect behind us, and put the notion that prevention is better than the cure into reality.

Contacts:

In Washington: Meriem Gray, mgray@worldbank.org

For Broadcast Requests: David W. Young, dyoung7@worldbankgroup.org

24, October 2022

French President Macron meets Pope Francis for the third time ⁰

French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Francis held nearly an hour of private talks on Monday, part of Macron’s trip to Italy to attend an international conference.

Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, arrived at the Vatican and was greeted with an honour guard of Swiss Guards in the San Damaso courtyard before taking an elevator to the official papal study in the Apostolic Palace.

Francis, 85, was using a walking stick due to a painful knee, but looked cheerful as he chatted with Macron and posed for photographs with the French leader and his wife.

The two leaders then discussed “the conflict in Ukraine, with special attention to the humanitarian situation”, the Vatican said in a statement. “Particular consideration was given to the region of the Caucasus, the Middle East, and Africa,” it said. The Vatican said their private talks lasted 55 minutes.

Macron was escorted through ornate papal palace corridors by Swiss Guards, on his third visit to the Vatican since becoming president.

He gave Francis a 1796 first edition French-language copy of German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s “Perpetual Peace”.

He previously met Francis at the Vatican in June 2018 and less than a year ago, in November 2021.

Macron is in Italy to attend an international conference organised by Italy’s Sant’Egidio Community, a worldwide peace and charity group.

He and the pope will jointly close the conference at a special ceremony at the Colosseum in Rome on Tuesday.

Opening the conference on Rome’s outskirts on Sunday, Macron said he believed there was a chance for peace in Ukraine, even as Russia warned the conflict could escalate.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)

24, October 2022

Yaoundé: Arrest warrant for Minister Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh ⁰

An arrest warrant has been reportedly issued against the powerful Minister-Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Cameroon Intelligence Report has gathered from a well placed source at the Special Criminal Court in Yaoundé.

Our source revealed that the arrest order was made following Minister Ngoh Ngoh’s refusal to appear before the court on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.

The so-called powerful Secretary General at the presidency is under investigation over his management of Covid 19 funds and Cameroon Intelligence Report understands several government cabinet ministers auditioned at the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde have all stated that they simply carried out standing instructions that were given by Minister Ngoh Ngoh.

A renowned French Cameroun political commentator BORIS BERTOLT who confirmed the news on social media said Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh blatantly refused to answer 16 questions that were given to him by state prosecutors.

After a closed door meeting with the president of the special criminal court, Justice Annie Noëlle Bahounoui with the consent of Justice Minister Laurent Esso issued the arrest warrant against Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh.

This item is still developing

By Rita Akana in Yaoundé