Cameroon

17, January 2025

Another CPDM baron has died in Yaoundé aged 85 ⁰

Professor Pierre Titi Nwel, a member of the Electoral Council (Elecam) has died aged 85.

Cameroon Concord News understands that Professor Titi Pierre passed away late on Thursday 16 of January 2025 in Yaoundé.

He was expected in Douala today Friday 17 January 2025 to begin a tour of ELECAM’s rigging facilities in the Littoral region.

Pierre Titi Nwel was born on 1 November 1940 in Matomb a district in the Nyong-et-Kéllé Division in the Centre region some 65 km south-west of Yaoundé. He held a doctorate in sociology from the University of Paris-X (Nanterre).

He worked at the Ministry of Education from 1973 to 2012 and has held a number of international consultancy positions.

By Rita Akana

16, January 2025

Former Secretary General at the Presidency David Abouem à Tchoyi dies aged 81 ⁰

The former Secretary General at the presidency of the republic David Abouem à Tchoyi has died at the age of 81.

The renowned civil administrator, who was governor of the South West and North West provinces died Wednesday 15 January 2025 in Yaoundé.

Family sources said Mr Abouem had lost consciousness. He collapsed and was pronounced dead at his home. His family believes the cause of death to be a heart attack.

David Abouem à Tchoyi was an outstanding administrator and politician not just of his generation but for generations far before who possessed extraordinary charm and a common touch which endeared him to so many in both French and English speaking Cameroon.

For many years David Abouem à Tchoyi was an incredibly significant figure in Cameroon who worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved. He was last seen in public on 10 January 2025 at the ceremony to present New Year’s greetings to President Paul Biya at the Unity Palace.

Abouem à Tchoyi was born on 15 January 1944 in Kribi, a seaside town and port in the South Region. He did his primary education in his village in 1950.

He completed his secondary education at the Collège Évangélique de Libamba from 1957 to 1964. He then enrolled at the University of Yaoundé, where he obtained a law degree in 1967, before entering the National School of Administration and Magistracy (Enam) and graduated in 1969. He also studied at the IIAP in Paris.

At the Ministry of Territorial Administration, he became Head of the Coordination Department, Director of Territorial Organisation and Secretary General on 31 August 1972.

He had a meteoric rise in the Francophone dominated Cameroon system and he successively held the following positions:

Secretary General at the Ministry of Planning and Regional Development, Secretary General at the Ministry of the Economy and Planning, and Secretary General at the Prime Minister’s Office from 17 July 1975.

On 8 September 1976, he was appointed Governor of the North-West region, before holding the same position in the South-West region. On 4 February 1984, he was appointed Secretary General at the President of the Republic. From 24 August 1985 to 21 November 1986, he was Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He was also a member of the National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

15, January 2025

Sisiku Ayuk Tabe leading the Ambazonia revolution from behind bars ⁰

Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe has already served seven years of his life sentence at the Yaoundé principal prison in Cameroon, but he is not ready to budge an inch in the political beliefs that landed him there. “The fight for homeland is existential and non-negotiable – being part of the struggle is a calling and not a vocation,” he tells the Guardian.

The 59-year-old computer engineer and former president of a breakaway state is still fighting his revolution from jail. As Cameroon’s civil conflict festers, his quest remains the freeing of his anglophone community from what he sees as the shackles of a francophone Cameroonian state.

Undated photo of Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, leader of the anglophone community in Cameroon. — Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, leader of the anglophone community in Cameroon

“We have an obligation – dead or alive – to bequeath to our children a nation that they can call theirs, something we have been deprived of for too long,” he says.

On 1 October 2017, Ayuk Tabe declared the independence of “Ambazonia” – Cameroon’s English-speaking north-west and south-west regions, known during the colonial era as the British Southern Cameroons – after a government crackdown on protesters.

In November 2016, lawyers from the regions had marched against the government’s decision to appoint francophone magistrates in anglophone courts, seeing it as a threat to common law. Educators followed with their own protests after French-speaking teachers were imposed on anglophone schools.

Ayuk Tabe’s de facto presidency ended in January 2018 when he was arrested in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, allegedly by Nigerian special forces.

Demonstrators protest against perceived discrimination in favour of the francophone majority on 22 September 2017 in Bamenda, the main town in north-west Cameroon and an anglophone hub. — A protest against perceived discrimination in favour of the francophone majority in September 2017 in Bamenda, north-west Cameroon, an anglophone hub. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

He was extradited with nine others to Cameroon, despite claims that many of them were refugees and asylum seekers. The move was later ruled illegal by the UN.

In August 2019, a military court in Cameroon sentenced Ayuk Tabe and his aides to life imprisonment on terrorism and secession charges. They were fined FCFA 273bn (about $428m).

The UN human rights council and three federal high court of Abuja judgments have ordered their release but none of these rulings have been respected, and the men remain in prison.

We will hoist the Ambazonian flag, we will sing the Ambazonian anthem – until that happens, the struggle won’t end

Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe

“How can civilians be charged and sentenced in military courts?” Ayuk Tabe asks. “Before any court in Cameroon, all Southern Cameroonians have a life sentence reserved for them just because of who they are. We are taking one for our nation and we pray it should be the last for all Southern Cameroonians.”

The declaration of Ambazonia’s independence triggered deadly clashes between anglophone armed separatists and the state security forces, which resulted in widespread atrocities against the civilian population.

Protesters march with signs saying ‘we need pens, not guns’ — Pupils, parents and teachers protest after gunmen opened fire at a school, killing at least six children, according to the authorities. Photograph: Josiane Kouagheu/Reuters

More than 6,000 people have since been killed, according to the International Crisis Group, although Ambazonia’s leadership claims the figure is far higher. More than a million people have been displaced within and outside the country. Thousands of people suspected of supporting the revolt have been detained and many are still awaiting trial.

When the Guardian arrives at Yaoundé prison it is teeming with visitors – mainly relatives, friends and acquaintances – who have come to see Ayuk Tabe and those detained with him.

With his customary charm, Ayuk Tabe speaks to everyone, telling them he has three key messages to send to his people back home: “Tell them that we will go to Buea whether [president] Mr Paul Biya likes it or not; come rain or shine. Tell them that we will hoist the Ambazonian flag in Buea and that once this is done, we will sing the Ambazonian anthem – until that happens, the struggle won’t end.

“Finally, tell them to take good care of the needy of the struggle – families who have lost loved ones, the internally displaced, refugees, those in detention, not forgetting the heroes of the struggle – the men and women who have opted to fight and die for the struggle,” he says.

Four men walk down a street outside a building, led by an armed guard — Men arrested in connection with Cameroon’s anglophone crisis at the military court in Yaoundé, 14 December 2018. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

After singing a few verses of the national anthem, Ayuk Tabe gets up to move around and hug a few of his visitors.

“We call them our guardian angels because they baby us,” he says, adding that these supporters have helped the Ambazonian inmates at the prison by bringing them food and bedding.

He says conditions at the prison are difficult: they’re given flimsy beds without mattresses and a single “terrible” meal a day.

“But Ambazonian detainees in this prison feed themselves twice a day, thanks to the generosity of our relatives and friends – they don’t consume anything offered by this prison except the water used for bathing,” he says.

An undated photo showing a group of men in camouflage clothes, with one pointing a rifle towards the sky from behind some bushes — Anglophone separatist fighters training at an undisclosed location. Photograph: Chris Anu

Cameroon was first colonised by Germany between 1884 and 1916, then divided between France and Britain after the first world war. French Cameroon gained independence in 1960, joined by English-speaking Cameroonians through a federation a year later.

The French-speaking area makes up about 80% of the country and the English-speaking part about 20%, both in territory and population. A referendum in 1972 repealed the country’s federal structure which had guaranteed rights and secured a distinct educational, judicial and political system for the minority anglophone section.

The group of officials stands in front of a large crowd of people. Behind them a banner reads: ‘Major national dialogue. Yaounde conference centre. — Cameroon’s prime minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, presides over the opening session of the national dialogue called in September 2019 by president Biya. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Close to the principal prison is the Yaoundé central prison, where nearly 300 anglophone detainees are being held. Abdul Karim Ali, 43, a Muslim scholar, IT engineer and business consultant, has been awaiting trial here since February 2023.

Ali was arrested in the north-west regional capital, Bamenda, on 11 August 2022, for criticising the injustices committed against his anglophone community. He was detained for three months in a windowless room with no toilet and denied access to his family and lawyers for three weeks, he says. Transferred to the dreaded State Defense Secretariat detention facility, he spent another three months there before being transferred to Yaoundé central prison.

I was abducted to be silenced. Not just because I believe in the right to self-determination for Southern Cameroons but because I defended those rights

Abdul Karim Ali

“I was abducted to be silenced. Not just because I believe in the right to self-determination of the people of Southern Cameroons, but because I defended those rights and called out the occupying regime of Yaoundé,” Ali says.

“Like other activists, I have been accused of terrorism and secession. I consider the military court incompetent to try a civilian like myself. I have made it known that I’m not going to court. I want to be tried in a civilian court and in my Bamenda home town where I was abducted.”

Abdul Karim Ali, Cameroonian activist — Abdul Karim Ali, who has been detained since August 2022

Ali says he has no issue with the Cameroon government, but that it has a problem with Southern Cameroons.

“I’m in their captivity just like every other freedom fighter. I don’t wish anybody to experience the prison conditions I have endured.”

He says the situation in Cameroon’s north-west and south-west regions is one of “torture, genocide, colonisation, incarceration and dehumanisation” – the consequence of the annexation that started in 1961.

He blames the current conflict on the “incomplete decolonisation” of Southern Cameroons by Britain and Cameroon’s annexation of the territory thereafter.

“The Cameroon government declared war on Southern Cameroons. They are the invading bully and illegitimate state actor. So, the burden to call for a ceasefire lies on them,” he says.

Peace, he says, would require the unconditional release of all Southern Cameroonians; the demilitarisation of the territory of Southern Cameroons; and dialogue between the two parties.

Ali eats once and prays five times a day. Otherwise, his daily schedule includes exercising in the prison courtyard and reading.

“History provides us with enough verdicts: every dictatorship collapses and every annexation comes to an end,” says Ali, whose political activism was inspired by Gandhi. “Today or tomorrow, the people of Southern Cameroons will be given the right to determine their political future,” he says.

Soldiers of Cameroonian rapid intervention battalion line up — Members of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, an elite unit of the Cameroonian armed forces, on parade for Unity Day in Yaoundé, May 2023. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Sitting nearby in the prison hall is another detainee, Mancho Bibixy Tse, a 40-year-old journalist and activist.

In November 2016, Mancho mounted a coffin at a crowded roundabout in Bamenda to denounce the social and economic injustice of his anglophone community, which became known as the “coffin revolution”.

He was arrested, charged with terrorism, secession, rebellion, inciting civil war, and spreading false information through social media, and sentenced to 15 years.

A man weeps among the ruins of a building razed by gunmen in Mamfe, south-west Cameroon, 6 November 2023.

In July 2019, Mancho led a protest against conditions at the prison, which earned him an additional 18 months.

Mancho says frustrations about 60 years of Cameroon’s occupation of Southern Cameroons led to his activism. The idea of using a coffin came about “spontaneously”.

“I have always wanted positive change wherever I found myself – I have been a freedom fighter all my life,” he says, maintaining that he has never regretted – and will never regret his actions.

“I am the first person who declared the Ambazonian revolution,” he says. “And I will do it over and over again if the opportunity shows up. I am ready to die for freedom.”

A car allegedly destroyed by separatist fighters in Buea, Cameroon — A burnt-out car beside an abandoned market after unrest in 2018 in Buea, capital of the anglophone south-west region. Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

Back at the Yaoundé principal prison, Ayuk Tabe is hopeful of ultimate victory.

“Rather than waning, our independence ideology is gaining more ground. Proof is that we are in the eighth year of the struggle and a Cameroon military victory is still very far-fetched,” he says.

“No matter how long this darkness has been, victory is assured and on the way. We all, eight million Ambazonians, share a common pain and plight. We cannot continue this life of servitude and pass it on as a legacy to our future generations.”

Culled from The Guardian

15, January 2025

French Cameroun: 3 killed in armed attack on military camp ⁰

At least three security forces personnel were killed in an armed attack on a military camp in Cameroon, local media reported.

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Ngouma military camp on Monday in the Logone-et-Chari department of the Far North Region, according to the daily Journal de Cameroun.

The victims were members of the country’s Defense and Security Forces and the attackers also seized weapons and set fire to a military vehicle, it said.

Boko Haram launched a bloody insurgency in 2009 in northeastern Nigeria but later spread its atrocities to neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a military response.

Source: Anadolu Agency

15, January 2025

Biya’s Justice Minister receiving emergency treatment in French hospital ⁰

Justice Minister Laurent Esso had to be rushed to a hospital in France after becoming seriously unwell.

Esso had to be evacuated by a presidential directive after he fell ill at his home in Yaoundé.

Mr Laurent Esso is widely seen as one of President Biya’s most trusted acolytes and has served in his government holding numerous portfolios including being Secretary General at the presidency of the republic.

He is known for his arrogant style – a key facet for any Francophone politician – and was described in 2024 as “Finish the Job,” by several media organizations in Cameroon following the role he allegedly played in the murder of journalist Martinez Zogo .

Mr Esso collapsed during National Day celebration inside the Unity Palace in 2024 but silenced critics who claimed that he could not juggle all his ministerial briefs by making a late night trip to the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé to stop an internal revolt.

He has been reachable and available to act at any time against opponents of the Biya regime and this includes during emergencies, at night and at the weekends. And while he is adored by many CPDM militants, he is reviled by critics in equal measure.

The politician, who represents the Sawa people in the Littoral region, remains the main architect of President Biya’s failure as a statesman.

Despite his recent difficult relationship with aides close to the Cameroonian first lady Chantal Biya, he has remained firmly behind President Biya and was a key figure in the arrest and humiliation of the late Lord Justice Ayah Paul Abine.

More recently he has been key in green lighting plans for the continued detention of Southern Cameroons activists including President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe.

Rumour circulated recently that the Biya ally was denied authorization to leave the country for treatment abroad.

Etoudi attempted to downplay the seriousness of Esso’s health condition but doing so has become increasingly very difficult. His declining health has reignited public and media debates surrounding his role in the corrupt Biya regime.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

14, January 2025

World Bank ends CFA45bn Swedd Project in Cameroon over poor results ⁰

The World Bank has decided to end the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (Swedd) Project in Cameroon due to unsatisfactory outcomes. Though the decision was made months ago, it was formally communicated to Cameroon’s authorities on December 18, 2024, in a letter from Cheick Fantamady Kanté, the World Bank’s country director for Cameroon, to Economy Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey. The project is officially set to close on December 31, 2024.

The World Bank cited the project’s low disbursement rate as a key reason for its termination. By February 2024, only 8.3% of the allocated funds had been spent. This amounted to just $5.7 million (CFA3.6 billion) out of a total of $75 million (over CFA45 billion). A World Bank mission in February 2024 deemed this spending rate unacceptably low.

The Swedd project, aimed at empowering women in the northern regions of Cameroon (Adamawa, North, and Far North), failed to deliver significant benefits to its target groups. The World Bank described progress as “unsatisfactory.”

The project management under Alphonse Glory Mbah Ngami also came under scrutiny. Cameroon’s Swedd team was found to be the largest among 16 African countries implementing the project, leading to inflated operational costs and reduced efficiency. According to the February 2024 report, most performance indicators were red, except for midwife training. Moreover, teachers involved in remedial courses for beneficiaries reported not being paid.

The World Bank’s recommendations to improve fund utilization yielded little progress. For example, between July 1 and December 31, 2024, the project was supposed to spend CFA2.5 billion. Planned expenditures included a CFA308.3 million ($512,336) agreement with UNICEF for vehicle purchases. However, by December 18, 2024, none of the vehicles had been delivered. Other key purchases, such as mobile clinic vehicles, campaign vehicles, IT equipment for 15 midwifery schools (CFA549 million), and motorcycles (CFA167 million), were also unfulfilled.

The World Bank has granted a four-month grace period, ending April 30, 2025, for eligible payments to be made. Any unpaid expenses after this period will become ineligible and must be covered by the Cameroonian government. In a letter dated December 23, 2024, Cheick Fantamady Kanté confirmed that the government would fund operational costs during this time.

The Swedd project has been operational in Africa since 2015 and was slated to launch in Cameroon in 2020 for a four-year term. However, delays related to credit readiness pushed the official start to 2022. The financing agreement was signed on October 12, 2021, and the project began on February 8, 2022.

Source: Business in Cameroon

14, January 2025

Football: Rigobert Song meets President Faustin Archange Touadéra ⁰

Cameroon’s legendary footballer Rigobert Song has held talks at the Palais de la Renaissance in Bangui on Monday 13 January with Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadéra.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that discussions between the two men focused on the role of sport in youth development in CAR.

The visit is part of a CAR project aimed at strengthening relations with Cameroon.

Rigobert Song shared his expertise and experiences, emphasizing the transformative potential of sport in African societies.

CAR’s Minister Héritier Doneng who is in charge of youth and sport accompanied Song and presented the Central African government’s initiatives to promote sporting disciplines and mobilise young people around constructive projects.

By Rita Akana

13, January 2025

Buea: Catholic Bishops’ Annual Seminar Ends with Call for Urgent Action to Address National Crises, Promote Peace ⁰

Members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) have expressed concern about the deteriorating social, economic, and political conditions in the country, urging both government officials and citizens to embrace responsible governance, national unity, and ethical leadership as critical steps towards sustainable development and peace.

In a message addressed to the people of God in the Central African nation following their January 4-11 48th Annual Seminar in the Catholic Diocese of Buea, NECC members highlight the distress and suffering experienced by many Cameroonians.

“In recent times, the anxieties of the vast majority of Cameroonians have been transformed into cries of despair at the misery as they are living through and the degradation of our beautiful country, Cameroon. Our consciences as pastors and citizens cannot remain indifferent to these cries of distress,” Catholic Bishops in Cameroon say in their Saturday, January 11 message titled “Take Courage, Do not be Afraid.”

Addressing a Nation in Crisis

NECC members recall their 1990 pastoral letter, which called for an examination of conscience amid economic challenges, urging the state to prioritize the well-being of its people.

“In 1990, we addressed a pastoral letter to all our compatriots on the economic crisis in our country, in which we invited each of our fellow citizens to examine his or her conscience in the face of the two serious economic crises that our country was going through at the time. It was our hope that such an examination of conscience would lead to rapid and radical solutions,” the Bishops recall.

They continue, “We then appeal to the public authorities to ensure that the people in their distress would always and everywhere feel the support of the state. They should ensure that the interests of the nation and the well-being of our people were given priority in their actions. We also call on all Cameroonians to change their lives, to convert their hearts, the Cameroonian people in general and Christians in particular, to know that: We are not just victims of the crisis; we are also its causes and agents.”

Despite decades of appeals, they lament that the nation remains trapped in “economic and social stagnation,” with a future that remains uncertain.

“Unfortunately, 35 years after the alarm bells rang concerning the economic crisis and 65 years after our country gained independence, it must be said that we are still living in economic and social stagnation with an uncertain future,” NECC members lament.

Tax Burden

In their January 11 message, Catholic Bishops also decried the tax burden on citizens.

“One of the causes of Cameroon’s anguish is undoubtedly the tax burden, which increases year in, year out, to the detriment of the most vulnerable populations. It is seen as the ultimate means of suffocating those Cameroonians whose purchasing power is so low,” NECC members lament.

They add, “The proof of this is in the failure to apply Article 66 of our fundamental law and its implementing text, that is, Law No. 003-2006 of 25 April 2006, which requires all Cameroonians who assume important responsibilities in the service of the nation to declare their assets.”

“We wonder whether a country can only be built on and through taxation,” the Catholic Church leaders pose.

They add, “It is well known that Cameroon constitutes a real scandal of blessings because of the work of its forests and waters, its soil, its subsoil, and so forth and so on. On the other hand, we are witnessing the organized plundering of our economic heritage. We are thinking in particular of the sell-off and alienation of mining and agricultural concessions, which are being carried out through agreements signed here and there in a highly questionable manner.”

Corruption and Mismanagement

In their message, NECC members decry corruption as a “persistent cancer” undermining Cameroon’s progress.

Making reference to President Paul Biya’s recent end-of-year address the Catholic Bishops say, “The Head of State acknowledges that the malaise of Cameroonians also stems from bad governance and therefore poor management of public affairs. He cited, for example, the case of roads and urban infrastructure.”

NECC emphasize that corruption slows development, perpetuates poverty, and erodes trust in institutions.

“Each of us seems obliged to corrupt or be corrupted. It’s as if we are forced to live with corruption and accept it as part of our daily existence, reinforcing it,” they lament.

Infrastructure and Governance Failures

NECC members fault the government’s handling of infrastructure, highlighting inadequate road development and urban planning despite substantial budget allocations.

“How can we explain that the year 2024 ended with only 446 kilometers of asphalted roads and 228 kilometers of rehabilitated roads?” they pose.

The Catholic Bishops add, “How can we explain the fact that 65 years after independence, our development cannot guarantee basic human rights, such as the right to food, the right to education, the right to quality health care, the right to justice, in short, the right to life?”

“Cameroonians feel a real despondency because of the lack that is on the rise in our country. Many of our fellow citizens are living in dramatically precarious conditions and in deplorable, undignified conditions. Unemployment among young people seems to have no end in sight, even among graduates. Hence, the mass exodus from the country in search of greener pastures,” NECC members further lament.

Call for National Renewal and Dialogue in Crisis Regions

Amid ongoing violence in the Northwest and Northwest regions, the Catholic Bishops advocate for genuine dialogue and reconciliation.

“The crisis in the northwest and southwest regions, as well as the unrest in the far north, is certainly being contained, but it still remains and continues to cause the loss of so many lives. In the northwest region in particular, where reconstruction had begun, the violence continues with guerrilla groups wreaking havoc, sometimes even routing overwhelming military forces,” NECC members ay.

They pose, “The violence in the Southwest and Northwest regions has been going on for seven years now. Could it be that those who wage the war are getting scandalously rich and do not want the war drawn to an end?”

“Is it not time for the political class to sit down in humility and engage in calm dialogue, mindful of its responsibility to lead our people, our country, towards happiness, which requires justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation?” the Catholic Bishops say, noting that “true peace does not come from graveyards but from reconciliation.”

Recommendations for a Path Forward

In their message, NECC members outlines concrete steps for rebuilding Cameroon, calling on the state to “Promote transparent governance and responsible public service management, foster job creation, particularly for youth, combat corruption and recover embezzled funds, guarantee basic human rights, including access to education, healthcare, and justice, uphold meritocracy in professional exams and appointments, and invest in sustainable infrastructure and environmental stewardship.”

They also urge citizens to exercise their fundamental rights “responsibly”, emphasizing freedom of expression paired with “respect for others.”

NECC members also call on the media to “uphold truth and resist pressures that compromise ethical journalism.”

Hope Amid Challenges

Despite the grim assessment, NECC members urge Cameroonians not to be discouraged.

“We must not be discouraged by our country’s current dramatic situation. God is with us. And if God is with us, who and what can be against us?” they say.

The Catholic Bishops further urged the people of God to “trust in a happier, more prosperous future for our country based on adequate social, economic, and political structures.”

To achieve this, they appeal to “our individual sense of responsibility. Cameroon was betrothed to us by our forefathers, so we must make it prosperous as we sing in our national anthem. This is our collective duty. Let us resolutely accept to convert ourselves and above all, our mentalities and God will do the rest.”

“May God through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace and Patroness of our country, watch over every citizen and grant us all the gift of true brotherhood and love for our common good,” NECC members implore.

Culled from aciafrica

13, January 2025

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Ayaba Cho awaits detention ruling in Norway ⁰

Lucas Ayaba Cho, the 52-year-old Cameroonian separatist leader, remains in pretrial detention in Oslo after his arrest by Norwegian police last September. On November 19, 2024, the Oslo District Court extended his detention until January 14. Norwegian authorities are thus set to decide, tomorrow, on whether to prolong his custody further. Under Norwegian law, such extensions are permitted if deemed necessary.

The court, which has opened an investigation into Ayaba Cho for alleged “incitement to crimes against humanity,” has deemed it appropriate to keep him detained. Prosecutor Anette Berger cited the “risk of evidence tampering,” arguing that Ayaba Cho might influence witness testimonies or destroy evidence if released.

These concerns appear to remain valid. Reports indicate that the Norwegian magistrate plans to interview numerous witnesses across several countries. As such, Ayaba Cho’s pretrial detention could be extended further to allow the investigation to proceed.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international NGO, Lucas Ayaba Cho is believed to have coordinated activities of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) from Norway, where he had settled. The ADF is an armed separatist group implicated in civilian abuses. Seeking to establish an independent state in Cameroon’s conflict-ridden Northwest and Southwest regions since 2017, the ADF has reportedly kidnapped humanitarian workers and killed suspected opponents, HRW reports. The group is also accused of using violence and intimidation to prevent students and teachers from attending school.

Source: Sbbc

11, January 2025

Unity Palace: Biya receives 2025 New Year Wishes ⁰

Members of the Diplomatic Corps and National Dignitaries presented New Year wishes to the 91-year-old BIYA at Unity Palace on 10 January 2025.

The ceremony reportedly started at the Hall of Ambassadors where Mostafa Bouh, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps acknowledged Cameroon’s hospitality and efforts to strengthen multilateralism. Bouh congratulated Biya on CAF’s decision to confer the Excellence Award recognition for his outstanding contribution to the growth of football on the African continent.

Ambassador Mostafa Bouh lauded the recent inscription of the Ngondo festival of the Sawa people on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list on 4 December 2024.

BIYA responded with gratitude and recalled his message for more solidarity and constructive dialogue in the resolution of conflicts around the world. He reiterated Cameroon’s position for a peaceful, just, prosperous and inclusive international community.

He also expressed his profound gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps for their massive support on the election of Cameroonian-born Philemon Yang as President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The second and last phase of the ceremony organised at the Banquet Hall opened the floor to National Dignitaries, including Members of Parliament, the judiciary, Members of Government, defence and security forces, political and religious authorities, businesspersons, trade union leaders, and staff of the Presidency of the Republic.

Culled from the PRC