Witnesses reveal how gov’t forces forced civilians to pick IEDs that killed them

Cameroon News Agency has shed lights on the the tragic passing away of the two Cameroonians in Melim. Kumbo, North West region.

Read More : Kumbo: Family demands justice in the death of Hans and Moctaru – Cameroon News Agency

Our investigations led us to seevral witnesses who saw how the incident happened and decided to narrate so that the vcitims’ families could have justice.

In this series, we will write down what they said without altering the words. We got several voice notes and can indepedently confirm that these witnesses were present druing the explosion.

My brother Husairu Hans died in my eyes. This is what happened: Bombs were set at Melim and male civilian passengers were removed from the vehicles to search for the bombs. Apparently, the military had used bomb detectives to detect bombs had been planted in that area. There were three of those bombs that exploded. They kept us for more than 1hr 30 minutes just to search for the bombs. They discovered the bombs and the military asked some male passengers to go and untie the bombs but they refused. I don’t understand why they later forced Hans and the others to go and untie the bombs. Hans died before me, killed by the bomb explosion. Earlier before this incident he greeted me Big Sister, when he was passing on his ladies bike. He died alongside another man, my brother Hasairu. That’s how it happened.

Witness Four

I was going with him like this and  this guy who worked for me as my motor boy ( driver assistant) that day was behind. They military asked us to look for the bombs This other boy was behind me. I went in front and saw it and they asked me to remove it and I started debating  and arguing. So they called Hans to come and remove it. So it cut him into pieces.

Witness Three

CNA quized, “So was Hans forced?”

Yes  he was forced. He never removed it on his own will. He was forced

CNA “When it happened like that what did the military do?”

I don’t know. We left the scene when the second one that Hans saw had not exploded. I saw the other one. He saw the one in the middle road that exploded. We saw the one besides the road.

Do you have pictures? Who could snap mum? Who could have the courage to snap such a scene? It has happened. They were two of them. The other one fell in the gutter. I was supposed to be the dead victim in the place of Hans. It’s only God. Hans was not far. This is me here , the “Manyi Bomb” here and Hans the other way but Hans was forced to go to the bomb. So when it happened the military said it is our brother. Mum this thing is terrible. Am the one who sent Tanyi to go and inform the wife of Hans. I told him to inform the wife that the way Hans died if they see him they may not recognize him. I let Them know two died and the one with red boats is not Hans. He was above. Military started shooting and we had to flee our way. Military fired guns like for an hour. The military could have used these same bullets to shoot the bomb to detonate it. That’s what the military is supposed to do. They are the ones who killed him. It’s just that we are afraid of guns they can make us to join these boys just to fight. I saw how they decided6 to kill someone meanwhile they had what they could use to stop it. How can the military be shooting bullets in the air. What target? The thing is really above me. Only the two of us here can narrate better this incident. Only us.

They were forcing us I don’t know what made me to hesitate. The other victim with rain boats who died was watching but cows. The funniest thing is that I was with Hans earlier. If I never sent the information to the family no one could have known it was Hans since We were the only ones there that knew Hans. Look at me. I have not changed my dresses since. I considered myself a dead man. I was the first the military forced. This military people their own deaths will be catastrophic. How can they force people to a ghastly situation when they know the remedy. When it happened they were now shooting bullets in the air. For what purpose again I don’t know . Honestly no one could have known the where about of Hans. He was above the bomb. Many could have thought he came packed his bike and left. I really missed him. He is my neighbor. Every morning I will see Hans before going out. We could not snap because of the presence of the military. Take my number any issue you let me know

Conversation between a witness and a relative of the victim Hans

As military forced them to detonate the bombs and it happened that way, what did the military do? They did nothing. They abandoned them there. We arrived when the passengers had left so we had to look for them. The military asked us to inform the family. I was the last person to leave the scene and they were asking me to leave but I refused and said it was better for me to die here. I wanted to hold one of the uniform men. So one father came with the bike so I climbed.  We arrived the incident spot with some others from the quarter. People were crying. Note that the military had dispersed eye witnesses and those who were there now were those who just came. Hans was with Ba Oum. People thought I had died since they had not seen me too.

Second witness

Conversation between wtiness and CNA interviewer.

I learned some mothers in your quarter went to the camp to denounce what the military did.

  Yes mothers from my quarter went to the camp. I was in the house.

So they abandoned the corpse there? The never cared. So they abandoned him there with Ba Oum.

What happened is not good. I believe the military is out to protect civilians. After the incident gun shots were on both sides, the separatists and military. From my observation both the military and separatists have their scores to settle but then killing civilians. I don’t see how separatists will implant something targeting the military but the military get innocent civilians to detonate it.

The two people who died were forced by BIR and abandoned there by the BIR. As we arrived the scene there were about 50 people there. It occurred where I used to keep cows. The military stopped us. They asked us to come. There was a line. I posed I asked where we actually going to. We were three of us. We were going up one person said this is it. The others ran and military asked everyone to lie down. After three minutes they removed Pa Oum to go down with them. Pa Oum asked what’s this but they forced him to be going around a pear tree. They forced him with the gun. Hans was besides the military. I saw them trying to ask one or two things. They forced Hans. Hans was forced. They raised the palm front tree and the thing exploded.

Witness One