Residents of Ekona in Muyuka subdivision, Southwest Region, are reporting widespread violence and intimidation by soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR). This comes just weeks after three bikers were reportedly killed by BIR forces in Owe, a community in the neighboring Muyuka subdivision.
A student, identified as Ferdinand, has spoken out about the escalating terror being inflicted on the Ekona community.
“I am writing to you from Ekona, where the BIR soldiers are terrorizing us daily,” Ferdinand stated. “I’m a student from the University of Buea who came home for the holidays, but now my community and I are living in fear. The soldiers are beating and torturing people, both young and old, for no reason, and taking them to their camp. This evening, they broke into stores and stole 3 million francs from one man, beating him when he begged them to stop. The soldiers are now everywhere in the Coffee Quarter.”
The plea for help underscores the dire situation on the ground, calling for government intervention to alleviate the suffering of the residents.
Muyuka seems to become an epicentre of violence, with CNA recording numerous cases of violence against civilians by government forces. The crux of the matter, CNA learned, is that when separatists attack government forces, the BIR will descend on the population, accusing them of helping and hiding their attackers.
