Maurice Kamto Urges Government to Account for Kidnapped Children in Far North
By Synthia Lateu
Political leader Maurice Kamto has called on the government to provide explanations to families whose children remain in captivity following recent kidnappings in Cameroon’s Far North Region.
In a statement issued on August 27, Kamto questioned how long the regime would continue to show what he described as “contempt for the people of Cameroon.” He reminded authorities that governance is not merely about exercising power but about being accountable to citizens.
The Governor of the Far North Region on August 21, following the release of some hostages assured the public they would be kept fully informed of developments.
Kamto regretted that since people were reportedly kidnapped, the government has not publicly addressed the situation to inform citizens, reassure them, or officially console the family whose son was murdered.
“They owe explanations to the families of the other hostages who are believed to still be in the hands of the kidnappers. They also owe them to the people of Cameroon,” Kamto insisted.
Presidential candidate Akere Muna also earlier on criticized the authorities’ handling of the crisis, questioning the effectiveness of security measures in the Far North. “Even more alarming is the deafening silence from the government,” he said.
Commenting further, Kamto acknowledged the brutal killing of one of the five children from a family, stressing that those responsible would eventually face justice. He expressed relief, however, that four other children were freed alive, while extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. He also praised all those who contributed, directly or indirectly, to the release of the first ten hostages.
On August 25, the 13 hostages out of the 14 initially released, as one was killed were formally presented to administrative authorities in the Far North. Each child freed was reportedly offered an envelope of 500,000 CFA francs by the State as a symbolic gesture of solidarity to help them rebuild their lives after the trauma they endured.
Kidnappings remain recurrent in the Far North Region, where Boko Haram and armed groups continue to pose a serious threat to security.
