Fresh allegations of harassment have emerged from Buea, Fako County, where residents say occupation forces continue to intimidate and extort civilians under questionable orders.
According to an eyewitness account, a young woman and her sister stood along Mayor Street in Buea on Saturday evening when a La République du Cameroun Gendarmerie patrol stopped them. The officers reportedly arrested the sister because she wore a scarf they claimed resembled military attire.
The witness said the gendarmes drove around Buea with the woman before taking her to the Checkpoint Gendarmerie post. There, officers allegedly told her the scarf violated an order from Yaoundé. They claimed she faced six months in prison unless she paid FCFA100,000.
However, the woman insisted she could not raise the money. Friends later sent her small Mobile Money transfers. She reportedly informed the officers she had only FCFA5,000 available.
Meanwhile, another transfer arrived while she checked her phone. The phone battery died before she could access the funds. According to the account, the officers even provided her with a power bank so she could recharge the device and withdraw an additional FCFA10,000.
After paying the money, the officers reportedly released her sister without any formal charge or court process.
Residents say such incidents have become common across Buea under the occupation. Many civilians reportedly remain silent for fear of arrest or retaliation. The latest account has renewed calls for accountability over alleged harassment, intimidation, and extortion by La République du Cameroun security forces operating in Ambazonia.
BaretaNews could not independently verify the allegations. However, residents continue to report similar incidents as occupation forces tighten their grip on communities across Ground Zero.
