Interception of BBH Vehicles In Sop, CBC Reacts

Following the redeployment of staff to one of our new health facilities and other busy stations, the belongings of the following staff were loaded into the Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) Vehicle, Toyota Dyna 350 NW289AW (Cargo), on October 26, 2018:

1- Houhitanghi Loveline Ful – Midwife
2- Akuhmbom Elizabeth Viyof – Midwife (whose chair the bees elected as their residence)
3- Nkemgang Rainata Rabbiatu – Nurse
4- Gam Larissa Ngehma – Nurse

The vehicle took off on October 27, 2018, with these staff and many others on posting in other hospital vehicles, but due to felled trees which blocked the road in Nkar, a village before Jakiri, they were forced to return to BBH and wait for the road to be cleared.

Since the staff needed to resume work in their new stations, the BBH Administration focused on getting them out of Kumbo through other roads which only four-wheel drive vehicles could ply, with the hope of sending their belongings in the cargo vehicle later on. This struggle went on up to November 11, 2018, and most of the staff managed to leave Kumbo.

However, 80% of their belongings remained in the hospital. The movement of the cargo vehicle on Friday, November 16, 2018, was the first trip to start transporting the things. The cargo vehicle was intercepted by unidentified gunmen at Sop and taken alongside the driver (Taku Robenson) to a nearby school.

The main allegation that has circulated on social media is that the BBH vehicle carried a policeman and that we have been transporting security forces.

How could we be transporting security forces and their belongings at the detriment of our staff and their children who, for close to a month now, are out of Kumbo without their beds, clothes, pots, etc.?

The law enforcement officer (an elderly policeman who was in civilian clothes and unarmed – Ephraim Ngafi) who was in our vehicle had been sick and treated in BBH severally like any other persons including the wounded soldiers and fighters from both parties in respect to the International Humanitarian Law in times of war and according to our Mission Statement – providing compassionate care to ALL WHO NEED IT. As a patient, the policeman who appeared in civilian attire and helpless desired more medical follow up out of Kumbo. The said policeman had no luggage.

The driver, who had seen the law enforcement officer in the hospital several times, tried with a compassionate heart to help him out. The driver at the time was rushing to cover many trips given that he needed to transport so many staff belongings out of Kumbo and bring in drugs from Bamenda. As we write, none of these things have been transported either way.

The swarm of bees got into the vehicle because it was parked up for more than three weeks and the content made up of foodstuff and assorted belongings attracted them. The driver drove the car off without being aware of the bees that hid under the luggage. Staff names are written on most of the things as proof of ownership. BBH has never been involved in transport business.

Therefore, the information circulating on social media that Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) has been transporting security forces and that we use supernatural powers (referring to the swarm of bees discovered in the luggage), is contradictory. This misleading information jeopardizes the image of our hospital that is completely apolitical, operates based on sound Christian principles, and does not discriminate against anyone in the provision of healthcare, especially during this crisis.

So far, the cargo vehicle has been released after all its content (staff belongings and two drums of fuel for the hospital’s standby generator) was offloaded by unidentified gunmen. However, three hospital vehicles – 2 Hilux 2×2 vehicles and a Toyota Landcruiser (Prado) – are still with the gunmen. These vehicles were not initially involved when the gunmen intercepted the cargo vehicle but were later apprehended when they arrived at the same area on the same day as they travelled from Bamenda to Kumba.

Thank you!

Communication Department
CBC Health Services