Southern Cameroons Crisis: 6 officials, teachers kidnapped in Momo Division ⁰

Separatist fighters have abducted six officials and teachers in Cameroon’s English-speaking region of Northwest which has been ravaged by a protracted armed separatist conflict, according to local officials.

Benoit Nicaise Fouda Etaba, the prefect of the Momo division of the region, said that three officials including two high-ranking members of the ruling party and three teachers were ambushed and kidnapped along the Andek-Mbengwi road stretch of the region.

The abducted persons took part in the National Day celebrations on May 20 and were returning to the Northwest chief town of Bamenda before the separatists kidnapped them, officials said.

“The defense and security forces are currently on diligent hunt to track down this gang of terrorists, present them to the competent judicial authorities to answer to their barbaric acts,” the prefect said in a statement made public and stressed that it was necessary for the population to collaborate with security forces to “fish out this band of criminals.”

There has been no comment from separatist leaders.

Cameroon’s Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest have been facing a separatist conflict since 2017.

Source: Xinhuanet