The colonial town of Kumba, in the heart of Ambazonia’s Southern Zone, was once again thrown into fear and anger following yet another act of brutality and grand theft committed by Paul Biya’s occupation forces. According to credible local accounts, three men dressed in military uniforms stormed a family home located behind the CCAS in Kumba late in the evening, threatening the house owner at gunpoint and forcing him inside. The men reportedly conducted a violent and unauthorised search of the premises before making away with a sum of 3.8 million CFA francs.
Witnesses describe the act as a terrifying show of lawlessness and impunity that has become the daily reality of Ambazonians living under the yoke of colonial occupation. The so-called security forces, sent by Yaoundé under the guise of maintaining order, have turned into organized looters, invading homes, robbing citizens, and instilling fear among the population. The traumatised family now joins the growing list of victims whose rights and dignity have been trampled upon by the same forces claiming to protect them.
Across Ambazonia, reports of extortion, arbitrary arrests, home invasions, and grand theft by colonial troops are rampant. From Bamenda to Kumba, from Ekona to Mamfe, communities speak of soldiers who break into homes of civilians who have fled the war zones, ransack their belongings, and make away with cash, electronics, and other valuables. In many cases, the victims are later forced to “settle” with officers or risk fabricated charges and imprisonment. The corrupt judiciary in the occupied territory often serves as a convenient cover, collaborating with the forces to extort money from innocent citizens under the shadow of legality.
The Kumba case, though shocking, is not new. It mirrors countless other instances where colonial soldiers have used the war as an excuse to prey on the population. For years, Ambazonians have decried the impunity that allows these crimes to continue unchecked. Instead of facing justice, most perpetrators are transferred, rewarded, or promoted by the same regime that deploys them to silence dissent and crush the aspirations of a people struggling for self-determination.
The latest incident has once again exposed the true face of the occupation: an army that kills, loots, burns, and destroys under the banner of “national unity.” It underscores the long-standing cry of Ambazonians that they are not part of the corrupt system that rules from Yaoundé. The people demand accountability and justice, though few believe that either will come from the same colonial structures responsible for their suffering.
As the dust settles in Kumba, one thing remains clear: this land continues to bleed not only from bullets but also from the daily economic and psychological violence of occupation. The theft of 3.8 million CFA may just be another line in a long list of crimes, but for the oppressed people of Ambazonia, it is yet another reminder of why the struggle for liberation must continue until freedom is restored.
A Luta Continua. The struggle lives on
