Three Cameroon soldiers engaged on the front-line in the war against Boko Haram have fallen. The soldiers were victims of an explosion from an improvised explosive devise planted by the Nigerian Islamic sect.

The land mine hit their armored truck between the towns of Homeka and Bladole. Five other officers who were in the military vehicle were injured. Amongst the injured was the body guard of the Commander of the Regiment 1 of the Joint Multinational Task Force, Bouba Dobekreo.

The recent attacks come at a time when the Boko Haram terrorist group has been losing grounds though military sources consider it still very dangerous.

Cameroon’s Defense forces in conjunction with the Multinational Joint Task Force have pushed the terrorists out of the national territory and have destroyed their artillery. This explains why the terrorist group has resort to landmines and the use of children as suicide bombers. Vigilante groups have been very active assisting security forces in capturing suicide bombers who attempt to cause havoc in towns and cities in the Far North.

Source: CRTV

The Mayor of Buea Council Patrick EKEMA Esunge has described as ‘secessionists’ traders who close their shops on ghost town days in his municipality. Patrick Ekema made the pronouncement on Monday April 24, 2017 in Buea during a press briefing on the civil disobedience situation in Buea.

Angered by the fact that many shops have remained permanently closed despite a recent march against ghost towns organized by the ruling CPDM crime syndicate, Mayor Ekema, an agent of the Francophone political elites said he wish that Barrister Agbor Balla and Dr. Fontem be given the death penalty.

Patrick EKEMA Esunge said ghost towns have been less effective these days but that some ‘secessionists’ around Molyko are still adhering to the strike action orchestrated by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

The mayor who has a harem of mistresses noted that areas like Buea town, Bongo Square are not in any way observing ghost town as shops were wide open on Monday and the Buea town Market was booming with traders and buyers present for their daily activities.

The mayor also renewed his scathing attacks on his predecessor, Senator Mbella Moki Charles accusing him of being tactless and reckless. Ekema observed that Mbella Moki should stay clear of Buea council issues. “He cannot talk on behalf of Buea Municipality today,” Patrick EKEMA said.

By Rita Akana with files from CIN

A small group of Francophone soldiers dressed as civilians have staged an ‘Anti-Ghost Town’ march in Bamenda. The troops attempted to lure the Okada riders to join them but met with a stone wall. The young military men and women parked their vehicle at Below Foncha Street from where they were given white tee shirts and placards to carry out the demonstration.

The troops are part of a regiment deployed to protect the chaotic university games currently going on in Bamenda. The scantily attended march denounced the observation of ghost town put in place by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

The Francophone soldiers marched through Ngeng Junction, Fokou, Nkwen and stopped at the Grand Stand where a statement crafted by the ruling CPDM crime syndicate was read. The so-called anti ghost town marchers held banners with writings aimed at dissuading the Bamenda population from observing ghost town.

However, the anti ghost town parade was greeted with an effective civil disobedience on the ground as the soldiers carried on their activity. The Bamenda anti ghost town march is a follow up to those organized in Limbe, Kumba as well as Buea.

By Rita Akana

Cameroon Concord News Group

Initially scheduled for today Monday the 24^th of April 2017 at the Buea Court of First Instance in the Southwest region, the trial of the Right Reverend Fonki Samuel Forba, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon has been postponed to Monday, June 5th.

In a communiqué dated 21 April 2017 and signed by Beatrice Nambangi, the President of the Buea Court of First Instance, the magistrate indicated that Reverend Fonki Samuel of the Presbyterian Churche in Cameroon should not appear in court as earlier announced. Beatrice Nambangi did not give any reason for the adjournment.

As a reminder, the Moderator including the Roman Catholic Bishops of the Bamenda ecclesiastical province have been accused by a group calling itself the Consortium of Parents of having cashed the tuition fees for the 2016/17 School year that is drawing to a close without dispensing classes and keeping the doors of their institutions closed thus encouraged the crisis that has paralyzed the English-speaking regions since November 2016.

Moreover, retired Colonel Tamambang Nche, one of the parents mentioned in the direct citation as authors of the complaint, denied his involvement. He observed that it may be a confusion of identity or a usurpation of title.

By Sama Ernest

Cameroon Concord News

President Paul Biya has ordered the restoration of internet services to the crisis-hit North West and South West regions in a move widely seen as a step towards unlocking the Anglophone crisis deadlock.

The presidential instructions given on Thursday April 20, 2017 come 93 days after the regions were deprived of what the U.N. calls an important tool for development, communication and collective development. The government ordered the disconnection of internet services to the region in January protests by the minority English speakers over alleged marginalisation by majority French speaking Yaounde regime.

Besides the internet freeze, the government arrested leaders of the now outlawed Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC) which has been coordinating the teachers and lawyers’ strike that spiraled into violence. CACSC president, Barrister Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla and secretary-general, Dr Fontem Neba as well as Mancho Bibixy are now facing a death sentence at the Yaounde military court on charges of terrorism.

About 100 other detainees including opposition political leaders and journalists arrested in relation to the crisis are yet to be charged. The government has been under heavy pressure from the national and international community to restore the internet and release all detainees of the crisis for dialogue to take its course. During a four-day official visit to the country recently, the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Central Africa, François Louncény Fall urged government to restore the internet and release all detainees of the crisis.

The U.N envoy told a press conference in Yaounde last week that he had “fruitful and hopeful” exchanges with all the stakeholders in the crisis. He said he met with Government officials, members of civil society, opposition leaders, members of the diplomatic corps and the UN system as well as people arrested and detained in connection with the situation in the North West and South West, including Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla and radio broadcaster Mancho Bibixy. Like the restoration of the internet, observers say President Biya could also order the release of all detainees of the crisis in the coming days.

Source: Cameroun Info.Net

The images of the home of Antoine Félix Samba have been buzzing on the web for several days now. Internet users think the luxury of his castle is outrageous for a Cameroonian civil servant with 27 years experience.  A lot of tongues have been wagging about illicit enrichment, because until March 2017, Antoine Félix Samba was the Director General of the Budget at the Ministry of Finance.

Currently, he holds the position of Inspector General in the same ministry. According to his biography published by the Ministry of Finance, in 1999, he was appointed Director of General Affairs at the Ministry of Transport. Four years later, he was promoted to Technical Adviser n ° 2 in 2005 within the same ministry. He later became Director of Corporate Affairs at the Ministry of Mines and Mayor of Minta before assuming his current duties. Antoine Félix Samba is Knight of the National Order of Valor.

Antoine Félix Samba was born in 1961 and is a graduate of the Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC). He has had quite an ordinary public service career, which does not permit him to own such an expensive castle. Prior to joining the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM), at the age of 24, he was head of the accounting office of the Cameroon Press and Publishing Company (SOPECAM) Then Chief Financial Officer and Accountant.

He held his first post as an official in the Ministry of Public Service upon graduating from ENAM in 1989 devoted to the processing of integration files in the personnel sub-directorate. In 1990, he was assigned to the Secretariat of State for Internal Security, currently General Delegation for National Security (DGSN). His kinsmen now say he has also been an entrepreneur with the agricultural fiber, which help him to develop large farms in Minta, his home town in the department of the Upper Sanaga, Central region.

By Sama Ernest

Cameroon Concord News

The 84 year Cameroonian dictator, Paul Biya has instructed the Francophone Minister of Post and Telecommunications to restore internet services to predominantly English-speaking parts of the country which were cut off in an appalling violation of Anglophone right to freedom of expression.

Biya made the decision following pressure from the United Nations and other international bodies. Cameroonians in the northwest and southwest regions, which are predominantly English speaking, have been unable to connect to the internet since 17 January amid widespread protests against the Francophone government policies which have reportedly marginalized the country’s English-speaking population.

Southern Cameroonians have long reported that they face discrimination and marginalization and are excluded from top civil service positions and public services. They also complain their access to justice is limited because the majority of legislation and judicial proceedings are in French. A network shutdown of the Southern Cameroons scale violated international law.

By Chi Prudence Asong

Some ten shops have been destroyed by wild fire at the Etoudi market in Yaoundé. The flames that erupted in the early hours of Tuesday the 18^th of April 2017 were believed to have come from a poor electrical connection in the market.

Soldiers of the National Fire Brigade at Etoudi intervened and later received support from the Mimboman Fire Brigade to effectively contain the fire that engulfed a portion of the busy market.

No human lives were lost in the incident but millions of CFA francs of investments were reduced to nothing. The fire reportedly consumed mobile phone shops and some restaurants. Travel agencies situated behind the electronic section of the market also suffered some damages.

Traders were wailing in consternation as they helplessly watched their livelihood crushed away in huge fumes of dark smoke. The Etoudi market is located barely a few kilometer from the State House. It is currently under construction though parts of the uncompleted structures have already been occupied by traders.

Source: CRTV