Gunmen Kill Four Students, Teacher at GBHS Ekondo Titi

By Wilson Musa

At least four students and one French teacher were shot dead early Wednesday, November 24, 2021, at the campus of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS, Ekondo Titi, South West region, CNA has confirmed from several sources.

The victims are two male students, one female student, and a French teacher: Kum Emmanuel, 17, Emmanuel Orume, 12, Joyceline Iken, 16, and Celestina Song, respectively. The fourth student reportedly died on the way to the hospital in Limbe.

Wounded Victims Arrive Idenau

Several students wounded during the blazing attack on them were transported to different hospitals across Ndian Division, while others whose cases were more serious were taken to Limbe, via Idenau. The number of wounded victims has not been determined.

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Witnesses blame Ambazonia forces for the attack

Four witnesses who spoke to CNA and pleaded not to be named have all said Ambazonia forces carried out the attack. “We all live here, and we know when an attack is carried out and by whom because we have been victims of this war for five years now. The fighters are responsible. Everyone around here knows that it doesn’t need a soothsayer to confirm it,” a witness narrated to CNA.

“The Ambazonia forces entered Ekondo Titi and attacked the GBHS and shot three students and a teacher. One is a French teacher. That is what has happened today in Ekondo Titi, it’s the worst,” a witness who alerted our newsroom said.

“I am telling you that last month or so, the commander of Expendables, popularly called 10 Kobo promised to attack schools that were guarded by the military. They fulfilled their promises today. My niece who was there confirmed that they could recognize some of the men who are not strange among ambas. “Another person who has knowledge of the attack told CNA.

“The school is at Njenku, the biggest quarter in Ekondo Titi, I schooled, they came in the morning carried out the operations before the military could come, they had already committed the havoc and left. They came with guns and killed, and no one could know their intentions. They even used an IED on campus so the students were confused if it was military or amba, so some other students said they could overhear one asking a student they shot that ” nobi we don tell wuna say no school?” (Didn’t we tell you that there is no school?)” a witness narrated.  

Ndian Youth Council Condemns Attack

Ngoe Elvis, on behalf of the Cameroon National Youth Council for Ndian, has condemned the GBHS Ekondo attack saying they are heartbroken to hear about the loss of the victims.

“All of these must stop, these killings and violence have to stop,” he said in a statement.

Missing Six Delegates

The Expendable 100 in June 2021 said they had arrested six Divisional Delegates who were on their way from a field study. Since June 15, the Cameroon government has not made a statement on the fate of the Delegates. One was later killed but the whereabouts of five others remain unknown.

Separatists Demand 1 Billion FCFA Ransom To Free Six Kidnapped Delegates – Cameroon News Agency

Schools, pupils, teachers and students targeted

Attacks against school goers and institutions have become rife calling the attention of international bodies to condemn such moves. A recent report by the Human Rights Watch said it was abnormal to attack children going to school. The report condemned the use of lethal force on civilians protesting the killing of a seven-year-old schoolgirl by the Cameroon military in Bamenda on November 12, 2021. After this attack, the Sako-led Interim Government of Ambazonia said they were banning schools across the Anglophone regions. But they would backtrack a few days later, advising that parents can send their children to school only if they know that their security is guaranteed.