Bui: Travellers decry amba extortion

By Shey Linus Fogha

Inhabitants of Kumbo Central Sub Division and the neighboring Sub Divisions are in a state of awe as Ambazonian separatist fighters recently stepped up measures that are directly affecting civilians.

In Shisong, the separatist fighters are forcing shop owners to pay them what they call “Taxes”. Some business owners have been shabbily treated and some were abducted and forced to pay heavy ransom upon their release in the Mbuluf camp.

In Bajing – Tobin, 6 students of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS Kumbo were abducted on February 12, 2023, for allegedly participating in the 11th of February Youth Day march past. They are allegedly being held in captivity in Nkobi – Kikaikom. One student is said to have been released while the other 5 are still missing. Among them is a teenage girl of 16 years old. The parents of the 5 are distressed and are pleading for the release of their Children. The parents also made it clear that their children did not participate in the march past and that they were victims of blackmail from neighbors whose children are school dropouts.

There is general discontent too with the number of road checkpoints the Bui separatist fighters have erected between Kumbo and Wainamah. Six checkpoints at a distance of 31 Kilometres. Drivers are forced to pay FCFA 2000 per checkpoint while passengers are also forced to alight from their vehicles and pay FCFA 500 for what they call “supporting the struggle”. The transport fare from Kumbo to Bamenda (105km) is FCFA 7000 while Kumbo Jakiri (23 km) which was FCFA 500frs before the crisis is now at FCFA 2000.

“The Checkpoints at Sarkong Wainamah and Wainamah Town can be compared only to the Coupé de Route in the North of Cameroon….they seize phones, money and valuables from passengers and force some passengers to sit with them until they pay heavy sums of money before entering their cars….” Says Mr. Felix one of the Businessmen who ply the road three times a week.

“Some passengers have been forced several times to reveal their Mobile Money pin codes and money swept from their accounts, CNA learned.

An angry driver was severely beaten at the Sop Checkpoint when questioned about their moves.

Another driver was beaten last Sunday for saying that Bui is exaggerating this struggle and they prefer the military who aren’t harassing them and molesting their passengers. He said after Wainamah every passenger sings in the car till Bamenda because there is no separatist checkpoint in the whole of Ngoketunjia and Mezam.