Tension is steadily building across Buea, the capital of the former British Southern Cameroons, after French Cameroun security forces set up a heavy security checkpoint at Mile 14 on the main highway exiting the town.
Passengers and drivers travelling through the area on Sunday reported massive security controls being carried out by armed elements believed to be part of preparations ahead of La République du Cameroun’s so-called National Day celebrations scheduled for Wednesday, May 20.
According to eyewitness accounts, occupants of both public and private vehicles are being ordered to step out and walk across the checkpoint, where they are then presented with identification documents for inspection. Security agents reportedly conduct detailed checks on passengers before allowing vehicles to proceed.
The operation has caused significant delays along the busy Buea highway, with long queues of vehicles forming as soldiers and police officers intensify surveillance in and around the town.
“It is not only commercial vehicles. Even private cars are stopped, and everybody is asked to come down with their ID cards,” a passenger travelling through the area revealed.
Residents say the security presence around Mile 14 has increased considerably over the past few days, with heavily armed troops stationed at strategic points leading in and out of Buea. Many believe the operation is directly linked to fears of possible attacks or ghost town enforcement activities by Ambazonia fighters ahead of May 20 celebrations.
For years now, May 20 celebrations organised by the regime in Yaoundé have remained highly controversial in Southern Cameroons, where many citizens reject participation in what they describe as celebrations of annexation and occupation by La République du Cameroun.
Since the outbreak of the Ambazonia resistance in 2017, French Cameroun authorities have routinely deployed large numbers of troops across major towns in Ground Zero ahead of national events, often imposing strict movement controls and surveillance measures on civilians.
Security checkpoints, identity checks, and random arrests usually intensify during such periods, especially in resistance strongholds like Buea, Kumba, Bamenda, and other parts of Southern Cameroons.
Though authorities claim the measures are intended to guarantee public safety, many residents see them as intimidation tactics aimed at suppressing dissent and projecting military control over the territory.
As Wednesday approaches, uncertainty and anxiety continue to spread among the population, with many inhabitants already limiting movement for fear of clashes, arbitrary arrests, or sudden military operations linked to the May 20 activities.
