Armed separatists have set fire to motorcycles and abducted teachers in Nkambe.
Armed separatist fighters attacked Ngie Junction in Njap village, Nkambe Central Subdivision, Donga Mantung Division, North West Region of Cameroon on Monday, April 15, 2024. According to security sources, the attack occurred at around 5 am. The attackers believed to have come from the Lasin area, halted the passage of commercial bikes commuting between Tabenken and Njap villages to Nkambe and vice versa. They burned 13 motorbikes and abducted two school teachers from Njap and Tabenken.
The separatists established a control post at the Ngie Junction and instructed riders and passengers to disembark and sit on the ground. After hours of operation, they seized a total of 16 motorbikes, setting 13 ablaze at daybreak and confiscating three others in pristine condition.
The attackers purportedly came to enforce a Monday ghost town in the area, despite the period of relative tranquility. The abduction of teachers, crucial pillars of the educational system, has particularly stirred apprehension among locals. This happened on the first day of school resumption for the Third Term of the 2023/2024 academic year.
Security officials have barricaded the road between Njap village and Nkambe town and launched a hunt for the perpetrators. The brazen attack has sent shockwaves through the community, underscoring the persistent challenges faced by residents amidst the ongoing unrest in the English-speaking Regions of Cameroon.
In videos that surfaced on online platforms, a group of armed men who identified as the ADF claimed responsibility for the attack. One of the fighters could be seen holding a gun while several people sat on the ground behind him. Several motorbikes were lined up on the road, and another fighter could be heard accusing the villagers of violating Monday lockdown calls.
The incident is the second security breach in Nkambe this year, after a major explosion on February 11 that killed a student and injured over 70 others. The area had previously been a rare haven of peace and security amid the devastating armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
