Monthly Archives: March 2026

5, March 2026

USS Abraham Lincoln flees after precision strike by Iran drones in Sea of Oman ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has successfully targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier using advanced domestically-produced drones, forcing the strike group into a rapid retreat near Iranian territorial waters.

A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters confirmed the operation on Wednesday, stating that the carrier was intercepted approximately 340 kilometers from Iran’s maritime borders in the Sea of Oman.

The vessel had moved into the area, part of the US military buildup against Iran, with the intent to monitor and control the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war.

Following the impact, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying destroyers were observed fleeing the engagement zone at high speed.

“The carrier group has since retreated more than 1,000 kilometers away from the region,” the spokesperson noted, emphasizing that the US military presence failed to achieve its objective of intimidation.

The retreat of the Lincoln strike group comes at a time of heightened tensions, following unprovoked US and Israeli aggression against Iran.

At the time of publishing this report, the Pentagon has not yet commented on the extent of the damage to the carrier or the reasons for its sudden withdrawal to distant waters.

The IRGC had on Saturday targeted the US USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles.

The attack on the US carrier came in the wake of the US attack on Frigate Dena of the Iranian Army in the waters near Sri Lanka while on its way back from India.

More than 120 Iranian sailors were on board the ship at the time of the cowardly attack, which has been widely condemned in Iran and outside.

Source: Press TV

5, March 2026

30,000 Cameroonians take gendarmerie recruitment exam ⁰

About 30,000 young Cameroonians took the written exam for recruitment into the national gendarmerie from Feb. 28 to March 1, 2026, according to figures released by the Ministry of Defense.

The recruitment process aims to fill 3,340 positions, including 300 trainee non-commissioned officers in the general service track, 40 trainee non-commissioned officers in the military health track and 3,000 gendarme recruits.

In Yaoundé, the exams were held at three schools: Lycée Leclerc, Lycée de Ngoa-Ekellé and Lycée Bilingue d’Application. Candidates were tested in general knowledge, mathematics and English. Applicants for non-commissioned officer positions also wrote an essay, while candidates applying to become gendarmes completed a written composition.

Shortlisted candidates will next undergo comprehensive medical examinations, the final stage before admission into the force.

As in previous years, the recruitment exam attracted strong interest. With nearly 30,000 applicants competing for 3,340 positions, the selection process is expected to be highly competitive.

Beyond the prestige associated with the uniform, the strong turnout reflects Cameroon’s economic realities, particularly high youth unemployment. Joining the defense forces is widely seen as a pathway to stable employment, offering a regular salary, social benefits and structured career prospects.

In Cameroon, holding a service number remains a powerful symbol of professional stability and social security. For many families, joining the army or the gendarmerie represents a genuine opportunity for upward mobility.

Prestige of the uniform and career prospects

The prestige associated with the uniform also attracts candidates. As a military force responsible for policing duties, the national gendarmerie embodies state authority and the protection of citizens. For many applicants, joining the force represents both a patriotic commitment and a source of recognition within their communities.

Career development opportunities further increase the appeal of the recruitment process. The gendarmerie offers several areas of specialization, including judicial police work, public order operations and military health services, alongside continuous training and internal promotion systems that allow members to build long-term careers.

Cameroon’s security environment also contributes to the strong interest in the recruitment drive. Defense forces remain heavily deployed to address multiple security challenges, including counterterrorism operations in the Far North region, the crisis in the anglophone regions and cross-border crime.

For some candidates, joining the gendarmerie goes beyond seeking employment and reflects a sense of civic duty.

Over time, the recruitment exam has become an indicator of the country’s socioeconomic pressures. The growing number of applicants reflects both demographic pressures and the need for durable solutions to youth unemployment.

While 3,340 candidates will eventually join the ranks of the gendarmerie, tens of thousands of others will have to wait for the next recruitment cycle, a sign that the call of the uniform continues to resonate among Cameroonian youth.

Source: Business in Cameroon

4, March 2026

UK to end study visas for Cameroon, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Sudan students ⁰

The United Kingdom says it will end study visas for students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and work visas for Afghans, amid a rise in anti-immigration sentiment ⁠in the country.

The UK Home Office said in a statement on Tuesday that “an ’emergency brake’ on visas has been imposed for the first time on nationals from four countries”, following a surge in asylum claims by students on study visas.

The Home Office said the number of asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan had “rocketed” by more than 470 percent between 2021 and 2025.

“Britain will always provide ⁠refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa ⁠system must not be ⁠abused,” Secretary of State for the Home Department Shabana Mahmood said.

“That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity,” Mahmood said.

Migration has become a major issue in UK politics with the hard-right Reform UK surging in opinion polls with its anti-immigration stance.

In a bid to assuage public sentiment, which has hardened on migration and stem the rise of the Reform UK party, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has tightened the asylum process and sped up the deportations of those who arrive illegally.

The UK’s Press Association (PA) said the visa ban will be officially introduced via an immigration rules change on Thursday, and Home Secretary Mahmood is expected to lay out a tougher asylum process in a speech on the same day.

According to the PA, in plans already flagged by the government, new rules are expected to come into force that will see asylum seekers in the UK face a review of their refugee status every 30 months, in what is seen as a way to make the country less attractive for those seeking asylum.

The Home Office said that although the government has “reduced student asylum claims by 20 percent over the course of 2025, further action is needed.

Source: Aljazeera

4, March 2026

Hope Sona Ebai: iconic South West figure goes home to rest ⁰

The passing to eternity of the renowned board chairman of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), His Royal Highness Chief Hope Sona Ebai is not merely the departure of a great South West business and political figure; it is the quiet dimming of a particular kind of leadership in Anglophone Cameroon forged not in the spotlight of daily operations, but in the steady glow of stewardship.

Chief Hope Sona Ebai as board chairman of the CDC will always live in the margins of Cameroon history. He was never the loudest voice in the room but this fertile mind from Manyemen town was often the final one to speak each time President Biya tasked South West elites with holding both ambition and restraint in delicate balance.

When such a very powerful and refined intellectual figure passes, what lingers is not simply his résumé or the shareholder value accrued under his watch both in Cameroon and Nigeria. It is the tone they set. The culture they guarded and the productive moments deep within the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) the world’s leading cocoa authority and Cameroon’s National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC).

His Royal Highness Chief Hope Sona Ebai understood that power, at its best, is custodial. To him, power is borrowed and it is temporary and must be exercised with humility. His true work as a prominent South West elite was often preventative and he always reminded English speaking Cameroonians to look at the bigger picture. In everything he did during his time in the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, Chief Hope Sona Ebai reminded everyone around him that legacy matters and that trust, once fractured, rarely fully returns.

The passing of such a great figure from the Nguti sub constituency in the South West region invites uncomfortable introspection and begs some seventy million dollar questions: what does governance mean in an age of relentless acceleration? Who guards the guardians? Are Cameroonian boards still sanctuaries of independent judgment, or have they become ceremonial extensions of executive ambition?

As a distinguished chairman of the CDC, Chief Hope Sona Ebai’s life offered both inspiration and warning. Inspiration, because Chief Hope Sona Ebai was a very principled gentleman who shaped the CDC establishment and warning, because his absence now leaves a vacuum — not just of authority, but of moral gravity.

In mourning Chief Hope Sona Ebai, we are reminded that leadership at the highest levels is less about control and more about conscience. His role at the CDC though symbolic, represented something profound. Chief Hope Sona Ebai had the discipline to listen, the courage to take action and the wisdom to step back when necessary.

All in all, perhaps the measure of a successful board chairman during this difficult period in Anglophone Cameroon is this: Did the CDC become stronger than Chief Hope Sona Ebai? Did CDC learn to govern itself with integrity as taught by Chief Hope Soan Ebai? Is CDC now serving not only its investors, but its employees, its communities, and its future?

When such a man with a good heart and a good head on his shoulders passes, the biggest agro-industrial plant in West Africa may open the next morning as usual. But inside the halls Chief Hope Sona Ebai once presided over, there will be silence — and within that silence, a question.

Who will now hold the long view?

Chief Hope Sona Ebai was appointed chairman of the board of directors of the CDC on 27 May 2021. An internationally renowned expert in the cocoa sector, he was an unsuccessful candidate in 2016 for the position of Executive Director of the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO).

He was the first General Manager of Cameroon’s National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC) and had nearly 30 years of experience in the cocoa economy in Cameroon, Africa and around the world. After heading the ONCC for seven years, Chief Hope Sona Ebai spent 11 years as Secretary General of the Cocoa Producing Countries Alliance (COPAL), which accounts for 75% of global cocoa bean production. From this position at COPAL, he was instrumental in organizing the summits of heads of state of African cocoa-producing countries in Abuja in 2006 and Accra in 2007. He was also credited with organizing four international conferences on cocoa research.

His arrival on the board of directors of the CDC, Cameroon’s second largest employer after the public administration greatly contributed to the product diversification that the CDC has been seeking for several years.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

3, March 2026

Yaoundé urges citizens in Middle East to exercise caution amid Iran-US war ⁰

Cameroon on March 1 urged its citizens in the Middle East to exercise caution as security conditions deteriorate amid escalating clashes involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

In a statement, Felix Mbayu, Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations, called on Cameroonians in the region to remain highly vigilant and strictly comply with security directives issued by local authorities.

The warning follows what the government described as a worsening security situation marked by airstrikes, intensified military operations and retaliatory attacks involving several countries in the Gulf.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated in recent days into direct confrontation. Washington and Israel have carried out airstrikes on Iranian territory. In response, Tehran launched missile attacks against Israel and several Gulf states hosting U.S. military facilities, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

The escalation has shifted the crisis from diplomatic tensions to open conflict, raising concerns about broader regional instability. The presence of foreign military bases, energy infrastructure and key shipping routes has heightened risks for Gulf states and expatriate communities.

Yaounde advised its nationals to follow local emergency instructions, limit non-essential travel and observe any temporary restrictions imposed by authorities. The ministry also urged citizens to remain calm and maintain regular contact with Cameroonian diplomatic missions.

Cameroon said its embassies in Tel Aviv and Riyadh, which also covers Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Cairo, remain operational, along with its consulates general in Jeddah and Dubai.

A crisis monitoring unit has been activated in Yaounde to provide continuous oversight of developments, coordinate diplomatic responses and serve as a contact point for families in Cameroon. Dedicated telephone numbers and an email address have been made available.

Cameroonian authorities did not comment on the substance of the conflict but said their priority is the protection of nationals in a highly volatile security environment.

Source: Business in Cameroon

3, March 2026

Archbishop Nkea says the Holy Father is coming as a Pastor, not a politician ⁰

Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea, Archbishop of Bamenda and President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (CENC), has spoken to Vatican News about the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon, scheduled from April 15 to April 18, 2026.

Speaking from Bamenda, capital of the North West region and one of the main epicentres of the Anglophone crisis, the prelate said expectations surrounding the visit are high. The Pope is due to travel to Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda. The city has been affected by violence since late 2016, when a separatist conflict emerged from professional grievances raised by teachers and lawyers.

Archbishop Nkea said the Pope’s decision to visit the region despite ongoing tensions carries strong symbolic significance. “It is significant that the Holy Father chose not to wait for tensions to subside but to come while the situation remains volatile,” he said, adding that the local Church has warmly welcomed the decision.

A tense sociopolitical climate

The visit comes against the backdrop of tensions following the October 2025 presidential election. It also takes place amid continuing secessionist demands in the North West and South West regions, as well as recurring attacks by armed groups in the Far North.

Addressing political interpretations prompted by the announcement, the Archbishop of Bamenda stressed the spiritual nature of the trip. He said the Pope is not coming as a politician or merely as a head of state, but merely as a pastor and a man of God.

Beyond the Catholic community, the visit is widely seen as a message to the nation at a time when efforts to ease sociopolitical tensions remain challenging. Archbishop Nkea described Pope Leo XIV as an ambassador of peace and an apostle of reconciliation.

In a context marked by continuing instability in the Far North, North West and South West, the papal visit is expected to serve as a pastoral gesture and a sign of solidarity with populations affected by the crises.

Source: Sbbc

3, March 2026

Ambazonia Crisis: Belgium arrests 4 over alleged war crimes ⁰

Belgian authorities said on Tuesday they had arrested four people as part of a probe targeting a Cameroonian secessionist group over possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The two English-speaking regions of Francophone-majority Cameroon, in the northwest and southwest, have been plagued since 2016 by a conflict between separatists and state forces.

Belgian prosecutors said the arrests followed simultaneous searches in Antwerp and the Flemish town of Londerzeel on Sunday.

They came within an investigation launched last summer focusing on individuals residing in Belgium and suspected to be part of the leadership of the Ambazonia Defence Forces, a separatist group.

“Money is reportedly being raised for the armed struggle and for the purchase of arms and ammunition, and instructions for attacks and liquidations are said to be given from Belgium,” Belgium’s federal prosecutor office said.

Three of the suspects were remanded in custody by the investigating judge, it added.

The conflict in Cameroon erupted after President Paul Biya, who has ruled for more than four decades, violently suppressed peaceful protests by English speakers, many of whom feel marginalised.

The anglophone community comprises about 20 percent of the population.

At least 6,000 civilians have been killed since the conflict began, according to Human Rights Watch.

Belgian prosecutors said they were collaborating with authorities in Norway and the United States, where similar probes are being conducted.

The arrests in Belgium follow arrests in both Norway and the United States.

Source: AFP

2, March 2026

Indomitable Lions: Pagou invites 30 home-based players for training camp ⁰

Cameroon’s quest to discover the next generation of stars has officially begun, as national team coach David Pagou unveiled a 30-man squad drawn exclusively from the domestic league for a special training camp in Yaoundé.

The five-day camp, scheduled to run from March 6 to March 10, 2026, forms part of preparations for the upcoming March international break. More importantly, it signals a deliberate shift toward identifying and grooming home-based talent capable of strengthening the Cameroon national football team, famously known as the Indomitable Lions.

Pagou has made it clear that this camp is not just routine preparation — it is a talent discovery mission. By selecting players solely from the local league, the coach aims to widen the national team pool and give deserving domestic performers a genuine opportunity to stake their claim.

Among the standout names are youngsters Rony Baliag Nougi and Essinguila Mbinde, both members of Cameroon’s U17 side. The duo recently featured at the Uniffac U17 tournament held in DR Congo in February, where the young Lions emerged champions — a triumph that underlined the growing promise within the country’s youth ranks.

Their inclusion in the senior preparatory camp highlights Pagou’s willingness to fast-track exceptional youth prospects into the broader national setup.

The squad features four goalkeepers, a solid defensive contingent, a dynamic midfield group, and a promising selection of attacking options. For many of the invited players, this camp represents a career-defining opportunity, a platform to impress the technical team and possibly secure future call-ups to the senior national squad.

With competition intensifying ahead of upcoming international engagements, the Yaoundé camp could prove pivotal in shaping the next chapter of the Indomitable Lions.

As Cameroon continues its rebuilding process, all eyes will be on these home-based stars to see who rises to the occasion and takes a decisive step toward wearing the famous green, red, and yellow on the international stage.

Below is the squad:

GOALKEEPERS

Marc Janvier Nomo Onguene

Ismael Michel Nwoagou Fansu

Manuel Maurice Nkolulou

Housseini Ousmanou

DEFENDERS

Lalmaine Abdoulhabdoullah Adamou Lifa

David Fenda Alaba

Bogard Eyong Bessem Agbor

Joseph Alexandre Nde

Cyril Dominique Maikte

Serges Valery Elondou Ndomzo

Henri Claude Balladjaka Ahmadou

Barkagil Franck Sterly Peto

Essinguila Mbinde

MIDFIELDERS

Mael Fernandez Monyabe

Jean Oussama Arsène Mekila

Sébastien Noah Arnauissa Fady Ousmanou

Konrad Nfanseu Sinyam

Junior Landry Nkouam

Pollanko Ghangle Rettensi

Jephter Arrey Oduak

Patrick Clovert Fongang

FORWARDS

Ambroise Y. Sow

Undi Evouma

Eden Créoly Nyeme

Jules Armand Kobi Boulma

Dylan Kouam Mbappe Akim

Rony Baliag Nougi

Source: Africa Soccer

2, March 2026

Southern Cameroons: 2nd edition of South West Cultural Festival held in Buea ⁰

People perform during the 2nd edition of the South West Cultural Festival in Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)

People dressed in traditional attire attend a carnival parade during the 2nd edition of the South West Cultural Festival in Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)

Performers showcase the diverse cultures of the Southwest Region during the 2nd edition of the South West Cultural Festival in Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)

Vendors display traditional products during the 2nd edition of the South West Cultural Festival in Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)

2, March 2026

Unending attack on medics and healthcare professionals in Cameroon’s separatist war; an unacceptable disgrace ⁰

In the shadow of nearly nine years of war in Cameroon, the line between professional medical practice and armed conflict has grown dangerously thin. What should be a neutral commitment to saving lives have, for many healthcare workers, become grounds for suspicion, arrest, and abuse. The conflict is pitting the separatist movement of Southern Cameroonians (Ambazonians) against the government of 93-year-old Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982. The conflict has created an environment in which doctors, nurses and many other health professionals are increasingly forced to choose between their ethical duty and their personal safety.

In July 2020, Cameroon Concord News interviewed Peter Ngute in Kumba and Mary Tata in Bamenda, both practicing medics who had been arrested and detained for five months by Cameroonian security forces. In 2022, we spoke with many healthcare professionals and nurses, among them Enow Arrey Lucy who was harassed by government authorities for doing their jobs. Authorities accused them of aiding and abetting separatist fighters in Kumbo and other parts of the two English parts of the country. All were ultimately released without charge. However, they all allege that during their detention they were subjected to torture and inhumane treatment. Peter said, “were punished not for taking up arms, but for treating wounded individuals who arrived at their facilities. And this cannot be right because we are only doing our jobs”.

Their accounts mirror a broader pattern documented by Amnesty International, which reports longstanding and serious human rights violations committed by government security forces, militias, and armed groups in the Anglophone regions during the ongoing conflict. These violations include unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture. Within this climate of repression, healthcare workers have become particularly vulnerable. Both Médecins Sans Frontières and Human Rights Watch have documented cases in which medical personnel were accused of aiding combatants, detained on terrorism-related charges and harassed simply for carrying out their professional duties.

The legal framework protecting them is unambiguous. Cameroon ratified the Geneva Conventions in 1963, along with the First and Second Additional Protocols in 1984 and Protocol III in 2021. Under international humanitarian law, medical professionals must be permitted to treat the wounded and sick without discrimination. Medical neutrality is not optional, it is a binding obligation. Yet multiple testimonies suggest that, in practice, healthcare workers are being criminalised for adhering to that very principle.

Cameroon Concord News has gathered additional disturbing accounts. Dr. Tita Augustine, Susan Ndi, a radiologist, and nurse Adeline Nzouepet Sah are among several healthcare professionals who describe their lives as having been irreversibly altered after being accused of supporting separatist fighters. Arrests, threats, and intimidation have followed allegations that stem solely from the provision of medical care. Their experiences point to a troubling pattern upon which impartial treatment is increasingly equated with complicity.

Despite repeated requests for comment, authorities in Yaoundé have declined to respond to questions from Cameroon Concord News. Security forces have reportedly justified detentions by alleging that certain healthcare providers are supporting terrorism. However, such accusations raise fundamental questions about whether the state is conflating medical duty with political allegiance.

The persistent targeting of medics reflects a broader and deeply troubling reality in a conflict that has claimed more than 9,000 lives. When doctors and nurses are detained, intimidated, or tortured, entire communities lose access to essential and lifesaving care. The erosion of medical neutrality not only violates international law but also deepens civilian suffering.

The cases of Adeline Nzouepet Sah, Dr Tita Augustine and Susan Ndi, among many underscore the urgent need for international scrutiny, credible investigations, and accountability mechanisms. Without meaningful protection for healthcare professionals, the humanitarian cost of the conflict will continue to rise among those who are only stated offence is saving lives.

By Rita Akana in Yaoundé