Nkwen in panic After bloody attack by armed men

The population of Nkwen in the Bamenda III municipality is in panic and shock following the death of a native whose name CNA got as Ndonwie popularly known as “Issa”. Reports say he was shot in the head at close range at about 10:00pm on Saturday October 15 at a place called “speed brake” (between the Alalieh and Menteh neighborhoods) by a group of armed bandits who reportedly claimed to be Amba fighters.

“They call themselves Ambas whereas they attack people, terrorize, kill and steal from them especially in Menteh which they have transformed into their farm,” a local lamented.

Issa’s corpse was reportedly taken to the Bamenda Regional Hospital Mortuary where it is pending burial on Wednesday October 19 in Nkwen.

According to locals, Issa was an unfortunate victim of circumstances. The men believed to have shot him had come for a revenge mission after two of theirs had been killed by the population following a robbery attempt:

“They were three in number who were after a taxi driver last Friday night. The driver drove towards Menteh for safety. Unfortunately for the armed bandits, the population who were alerted probably by the driver whose life was at stake, mobilized and mounted barricades. This was how the population got hold of them, beating life out of them. One managed to escape and informed his colleagues of what had happened. That’s how they returned to speed brake Saturday night for revenge,” Fongu Cletus Tanwie, Mayor of the Bamenda III municipality told CNA.

Those who were with Issa the same day he was killed say they are still to come to terms with the shocking incident:

“It’s terrible that you talk with someone now the next minute he’s gone. This is a big lesson to me. One has to be ready at any time. We leave it all in God’s hands.”

“How it pains so much mourning our dear ones killed in such a barbaric manner. It’s time people stopped terrorizing others. Killing our own like this is taking us to nowhere. We all need peace to reign amongst us.”

“From one funeral to another! All caused by another person is unhealthy for our society,” some locals said.

“Issa was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, just so hurting. Besides he couldn’t run because he had a very serious problem with his leg. When the other group of Ambas came to revenge the death of their colleagues he couldn’t run to get inside his house. Others escaped death by the Grace of God.”

CNA also learnt that when the armed individuals arrived for revenge, they fired shots in the air saying they must spill blood to avenge their brothers killed by the population.

CNA is reliably informed that three other persons were injured and are currently undergoing treatment. Among them is a patient who was sitting outside a clinic around the attack scene, who got shot in the leg.

Sources say it is an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty reigning in and around the Alalieh neighbourhood.

Mayor Fongu Cletus Tanwie has called on the population of Alalieh and Menteh in particular and Nkwen in general to be more vigilant, continue denouncing and collaborating with competent authorities for these criminals to be flushed out of the municipality so that serenity reigns.