The immediate past President of the Northwest House of Chiefs, Fon Yakum Kevin of Bambalang, has finally handed over official property, including a vehicle and its keys, to his successor after weeks of reported resistance.
The development follows the submission of a formal letter addressed to the President of the Northwest Regional Executive Council, in which Fon Yakum Kevin requests payment of allowances and reimbursement for repairs carried out on the official vehicle while he was in office.
In the letter dated January 28, 2026, the former House of Chiefs president states that he has been using the vehicle since June 2023 and has personally covered repair costs due to what he describes as a lack of institutional support. He attached copies of receipts to support his claim and urged the regional authorities to settle the bill promptly.
Fon Yakum Kevin further appeals to the Regional Assembly to assume responsibility for the expenses, noting that the vehicle is public property and that the repairs were necessary to perform his official duties as Vice President of the Regional Executive Council and President of the House of Chiefs.
Notably, the letter contains several grammatical and structural errors, a detail that has attracted public attention given that the author identifies himself as a graduate of the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM. The document’s quality has raised questions in some circles about how the correspondence was prepared and vetted.
In a deeply personal section of the letter, Fon Yakum Kevin recalls his abduction and nearly two years in captivity during the Anglophone crisis. He claims the experience cost him his privileges and benefits within the executive council, a situation he suggests has compounded his current grievances.
The former chief warns that he may seek legal redress if the matter is not resolved promptly, signalling a possible court battle between him and regional authorities over the disputed reimbursements.
The handover of the vehicle and keys appears to bring closure to the physical transfer of office assets. However, the financial dispute now places the Northwest Regional Executive Council under pressure to respond, as public scrutiny continues to grow over accountability, governance standards, and the management of public resources in the region.
By Lucas Muma
