Catholic Priest narrates ordeal traveling in NW during festive season

BAMENDA, Cameroon — A priest traveling from Bamenda to Tooy during the recent holiday season endured a harrowing journey marked by multiple extortion attempts at checkpoints manned by both the Cameroonian military and armed separatist groups.

The priest who begged not to be named, recounted his ordeal, describing the journey as a “hellish experience.” “I had to pay 1,000 francs CFA to the military at several checkpoints,” he said. “But the most frightening encounter was with the separatists in Bamessing.”

The priest described being forced to pay a hefty sum of money to the separatists under duress. “One of them threatened me with his K47 and forced me to pay 200,000 francs CFA,” he said. “They even kicked me and slapped my nurse who objected to their demands.”

The priest expressed frustration and disillusionment, stating, “These checkpoints are not about security; they are about extortion. The military extorts, and now the separatists are doing the same. Civilians are caught in the crossfire, suffering from the actions of both sides.”

“I went back to the car and counted two hundred thousand francs and as approached the idiot he as that I should give the money for his money after taking the 200000 FRS. I had to remain In my purse 2000. I gave him and he said Waka was fine. This was provocative that only the pastor in me helped not to fight back. When he kicked me and my nurse objected he gave her a solid slap. The passenger with whom we were was taken to the camp. He was advised by the driver to remove all the money he got from his marketing and hide in the taxi. When they took him to the camp. They searched all over his body abs when they found no money they took his telephone removed the sim card and took away the telephone. He suspected that they must have planned to take away all the money he had acquired from having done business in Bamenda.” He added.

The priest is just one out of thousands who traveled via this route and who experienced the same treatment. The ongoing conflict has created a climate of fear and insecurity. In Bamessing, the traditional ruler recently ordered the separatists to drop their weapons or face the dance of the tradition.

But they have not moved an inch- the separatists are still there extorting money from civilians.