Cameroon Military Invades Banso Baptist Hospital Again, Terrorises Patients and Medical Staff in Midnight Raid
By James Agbor | BaretaNews
KUMBO, BUI COUNTY, AMBAZONIA — Patients, caregivers, nurses and doctors at the renowned Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) in Kumbo are struggling to recover from yet another traumatic military invasion after armed soldiers of the Cameroon regime’s Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) stormed the hospital in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to eyewitness accounts gathered by local sources, heavily armed BIR soldiers descended on the Christian health facility shortly after 1:00 AM and remained inside the hospital until approximately 4:00 AM, conducting what witnesses described as an aggressive search operation for suspected wounded Ambazonian fighters.
Sources disclosed that patients were rudely awakened and forcefully removed from their beds as the soldiers moved from ward to ward. The military operation reportedly created panic among vulnerable patients, including the elderly, women and critically ill individuals receiving treatment at the hospital.
Medical personnel on duty were allegedly ordered to abandon their posts and leave wards unattended while the soldiers carried out their search. For nearly four hours, healthcare services within the facility were severely disrupted, leaving many patients without timely medical attention.
Hospital sources revealed that some patients missed scheduled medication doses because nurses were prevented from carrying out their normal responsibilities. Medical experts warn that missing prescribed treatments can have dangerous consequences, particularly for patients undergoing treatment for bacterial and viral infections where strict adherence to medication schedules is essential.
Witnesses further reported that several mobile phones belonging to patients and caregivers were confiscated during the operation, deepening concerns over the conduct of the military personnel.
No suspected Ambazonian fighter was reportedly found during the operation.
Violation of International Humanitarian Law
The military raid has renewed concerns over the Cameroon government’s persistent disregard for international humanitarian law in Ambazonia.
Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Cameroon is a signatory, explicitly states that civilian hospitals caring for the wounded, sick, infirm and maternity patients “may in no circumstances be the object of attack” and must be respected and protected at all times by parties involved in armed conflict.
The convention further recommends that hospitals be located away from military objectives. Banso Baptist Hospital meets this requirement, being situated several hundred meters away from the Cameroon military camp located in Tobin, Kumbo.
Observers argue that the military operation unnecessarily endangered the lives of patients, caregivers and healthcare workers by turning a civilian medical facility into a potential conflict zone.
Pattern of Attacks Against BBH
Monday’s invasion is not an isolated incident.
On May 6, Cameroon military forces reportedly stormed the same hospital, firing live ammunition within the hospital premises. The incident caused extensive destruction of property valued at hundreds of thousands of FCFA and left staff, patients and visitors deeply traumatised.
The repeated targeting of one of Ambazonia’s most respected healthcare institutions has raised alarm among human rights advocates and medical professionals who fear that continued military incursions could undermine the hospital’s ability to provide life-saving services to thousands of civilians across Bui County and neighbouring regions.
For many residents of Kumbo, the latest raid serves as another reminder of the growing dangers facing civilians and healthcare institutions caught in the ongoing conflict between Ambazonian restoration forces and the Cameroon occupation military.
As patients and staff attempt to recover from the latest ordeal, calls are mounting for international humanitarian organisations and human rights bodies to investigate what many describe as a blatant violation of medical neutrality and the protections guaranteed to civilian hospitals under international law.
