CNA findings on Bamenyam attack: Vigilante member says security forces were alerted 24 hours before attack
The people of Bamenyam in Galim subdivision of the West Region are still in shock and consternation following the killing of at least 9 persons in the early hours of Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at the village’s market square by dozens of armed men, which a Separatist commander confirmed Bamenyam killings: Capo Daniel says Ambazonia forces responsible – Cameroon News Agency that Ambazonia forces carried out the cross-border attack.
According to information CNA got from the locality, security forces were informed of the attack a day before, but neglected, a vigilante committee member said.
” At about 4 pm the previous day, we got information that these boys were already in Bamenkoupere, a locality in neighboring Bagam where they broke into a store and began drinking and saying they must invade Bamenyam. Our president then called us to alert us. In reaction, we gathered at the market square and informed security forces but none of them showed up. We decided to spend the night at the square till dawn.” declared a vigilante committee member.
The men as we were told, after spending the night at the market square, did receive a helping hand from a few security forces till the next morning when things rapidly changed.
” In the early hours, at about 6 am that faithful day, a woman came up to us and told us that one of our colleagues was caught and taken away by the boys down the other way. We then started our bikes and went there to see for ourselves. We reached there and saw his bike stationed and went to his house but could not find him. We decided to go again to the gendarmerie unit and alerted them once more but they did not react.” added the vigilante member.
At this point, many were not aware of what was to happen in an hour.
The vigilante members on their way back from the brigade, saw Ambazonia forces from afar and returned to alert the gendarmes for the second time that same morning.
” From the brigade, on our way back to the market, we saw them coming and went again to the security forces and told them that the boys were already in our land. They are coming in numbers. As we passed the information, 30 minutes later the boys had invaded the market square and began shooting. They even began the shooting in front of me. At that moment I was standing with one of the security officers. Even the one who was shot was just near me. That’s how with the shooting, everyone began running for his life. ” the vigilante member added.
In terms of the number of separatists, he says they were estimated at about 200 and the vigilante members were powerless given that they had no weapons and the number of separatist fighters was too much for them.
“They were about 200 of them and we have no guns. We only have our bikes which they took away. No vigilante committee member was killed.” He confirms.
The separatist raid killed 9, most of whom were traders who came in for their businesses, and injured many others were injured and abducted.
Informed of the situation, Governor Awa Fonka Augustine immediately dispatched the Senior divisional officer for Bamboutos, David Dador Dibango to the scene, accompanied by the commander of the 5th military Legion, Bouba Dobekreo to the site.
Cameroon Government condemns attack
While the government condemned the attack, it promised to track down the authors of the heinous crimes perpetrated on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, in Bamenyam in the Bamboutos.
In a release on Wednesday, November 22 from René Emmanuel Sadi, Government spokesperson, further details were given that the attackers came from Bamunkumbit, in the Ngo-Ketunjia division of the North West Region. Casualties a woman and 8 men, Including two government forces.
The government called on the population to work in collaboration with security forces.
