By Mbah Godlove
Residents of several neighbourhoods in Bamenda, the capital of Ambazonia’s Northern Zone, are living in fear following a renewed wave of military brutality marked by mass arrests and alleged extortion by colonial forces.
In what eyewitnesses describe as indiscriminate operations, dozens of civilians have reportedly been rounded up and forced into military vehicles, regardless of whether they possessed valid identification documents. The situation remains highly tense, with entire communities gripped by anxiety.
Small Mankon and the Rendez-vous area are among the hardest-hit neighbourhoods. According to reliable local sources, civilians are abducted and later compelled to pay large sums of money to secure their release. “Everyone is a target,” an eyewitness told this reporter on condition of anonymity. “Whether you have an ID card or not, they pick you up and throw you into their vans.”
On Wednesday morning, many residents who were scheduled to go to work chose to remain indoors, hoping to evade the ongoing raids. That decision, however, offered little protection. Reports indicate that soldiers broke into homes, forcefully abducting occupants. The raids left neighbourhoods in distress, with relatives crying openly and desperately searching for ways to raise money for the release of their loved ones.
As of the time of filing this report, an uneasy calm prevails in the affected areas, but fear continues to dominate daily life. Some families have reportedly been unable to raise the demanded sums, while others worry that further abductions could occur overnight.
Although the official reason for the latest wave of arrests remains unclear, many residents believe the operations are driven by financial motives rather than security concerns. “They want money, from us, so they can spend Christmas with their families,” a worried resident lamented.
With the festive season fast approaching, uncertainty hangs over Bamenda. There is growing concern that the situation could further deteriorate, as civilians brace for what many fear may be even darker days ahead.
