NWSW regions: OCHA reports growing use of IEDs,17 school attacks since January
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), disclosed in its new North West and South West situation report published on May 6, 2024, covering the period from March 1 to March 31, 2024, that the over seven years old armed conflict had continued to leave devastating consequences on education, the well-being of the population and their security especially with the growing use of IEDs by separatist fighters to target government forces.
“Non-State armed groups (NSAGs) continue to use Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to target State Security Forces (SSFs) convoys, including on roads used by civilians. At least nine IED incidents were reported (seven in the NW and two in the SW)” OCHA stated in the report.
In March, five attacks were recorded on education by OCHA with an accumulative total of 17 attacks since January 2024.
“Formal education continued to be seriously threatened by NSAGs in the NWSW. On 20 March, members of a non-State armed group entered two government schools in the localities of Weh and Esu, Menchum division, NWR, opened fire and burned down examination papers, disrupting all ongoing examinations. The vice principal and two teachers were abducted in Weh and three teachers in Esu. Menchum and Momo divisions have been particularly impacted”. A statement from OVCHA stated.
Apart from rainfall causing natural disasters, like floods, landslides, and destruction of properties, the blocking of the Bamenda-Mamfe-Ekok road axis for one month seriously affected the standard of living of the population.
“NSAGs enforced a one-month movement suspension along the Bamenda – Mamfe – Ekok highway from 4 March to 4 April, with the announced objective to create a corridor to conduct operations against the SSF and to hinder Government economic activities”. reported OCHA.
OCHA furthered that the closure hurt humanitarian response to the populations, including people recently displaced from Widikum in the NW and some communities in the Upper Bayang subdivision in the SWR as humanitarian activities were also blocked.
