General Ndiba Na Wata Appoints New Commanders Amid Rising Tensions Over Cameroon’s 2025 Presidential Election
By Andre Momo, BaretaNews
July 24, 2025
In a bold move signaling heightened resistance, Ambazonian General Ndiba Na Wata, a prominent figure in the Ambazonian Forces, has appointed new commanders to bolster the ongoing struggle for independence.The announcement comes as the Cameroonian government, led by Paul Biya, prepares for a controversial presidential election scheduled for October 12, 2025, which Ambazonian leaders have condemned as an illegal and provocative act on their territory.
General Ndiba Na Wata rose to prominence three years ago when he was appointed General by Ambazonia Field Marshal Nopity following a daring cross-border attack that resulted in the deaths of seven Cameroonian colonial forces and the shutdown of a military barracks. His leadership has since been a cornerstone of the Ambazonian fight for self-determination, rooted in grievances over the marginalization of the English-speaking minority by Cameroon’s Francophone-dominated government.
The newly appointed commanders, whose identities remain undisclosed for security reasons, are tasked with strengthening the Ambazonian forces’ operations in the Northwest and Southwest regions, where the conflict—often referred to as the Ambazonia War of Independence—has claimed over 15,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands since its escalation in 2016. This strategic restructuring is seen as a direct response to the Cameroonian government’s announcement of the 2025 presidential election, which Ambazonian leaders argue violates their right to self-determination and disregards the 1961 federal structure that guaranteed regional autonomy.
“The so-called election is a mockery of our people’s struggle,” said a spokesperson for the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC). “Paul Biya’s regime continues to treat Ambazonia as a colony, ignoring our legal and historical rights to statehood. General Ndiba Na Wata’s appointments send a clear message: we will not bow to colonial oppression.”
The Cameroonian government’s decision to hold elections in the Anglophone regions has sparked widespread outrage among Ambazonian activists, who view it as an attempt to legitimize Biya’s 43-year rule in their territory. The 92-year-old president, who has been in power since 1982, formally declared his candidacy for an eighth term on July 13, 2025, despite concerns about his health and growing calls for democratic change. The election, set to operate under a first-past-the-post system, has been criticized for its lack of transparency and the government’s history of electoral fraud, with opposition parties like the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) facing significant barriers to participation.
Adding to the tensions, General Ndiba Na Wata’s leadership has drawn parallels to the broader fight for self-determination in the region, with some Ambazonian activists expressing solidarity with Biafran separatists in Nigeria. “Biafra and Ambazonia in our blood,” declared a statement from a local Ambazonian group, echoing the shared aspirations of both movements for independence from centralized governments accused of systemic marginalization.
The appointment of new commanders under General Ndiba Na Wata’s leadership underscores the Ambazonian forces’ determination to escalate their resistance as the election approaches. Reports indicate ongoing clashes between Ambazonian fighters and Cameroonian security forces, with separatists maintaining control over parts of the countryside while the government holds major cities. The conflict, which began with peaceful protests in 2016 over the imposition of Francophone legal systems in Anglophone regions, has evolved into a bloody stalemate, with neither side able to secure a decisive victory.
As the October election looms, the international community remains largely silent on the Ambazonian crisis, despite calls from activists for intervention to address human rights abuses and support self-determination. General Ndiba Na Wata’s latest move signals that the fight for Ambazonia is far from over, with the new commanders poised to intensify efforts to reclaim what they see as their rightful homeland.
For updates on this developing story, stay tuned to BaretaNews.
Sources: Information compiled from local reports and statements from Ambazonian leaders.
