Ramadan Day Harassment in Bui Capital Exposes Deepening Economic Exploitation by Occupation Forces in Ambazonia
By Mbah Godlove l BaretaNews
The people of Kumbo, the heart of Bui County in Ambazonia, are once more under intense pressure as colonial forces loyal to Paul Biya escalate economic harassment against already suffering civilians. What many now describe as systematic extortion has reached alarming levels, pushing the population to raise a collective cry for help.
For years, the mounting of illegal checkpoints across Kumbo and its environs has become a routine tool of exploitation by La République’s military. However, the events of Friday, March 20, coinciding with the holy observance of Ramadan, have left many residents in shock as the situation takes a more aggressive and humiliating turn.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that as early as 8 a.m., dozens of heavily armed colonial soldiers flooded the streets of Kumbo, positioning themselves strategically across major commercial areas. Their mission quickly became evident. As traders cautiously opened their shops and roadside vendors laid out their goods, the soldiers moved in, demanding payments ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 CFA francs from each business operator.
Sources on the ground reveal that the soldiers openly justified their actions by claiming they were “hungry,” insisting that the same population they purport to protect must provide for their feeding. This shocking admission has raised serious concerns among residents, many of whom are now questioning whether these forces still receive operational allowances from the regime in Yaoundé, or if extortion has become their primary means of survival.
More disturbing, however, was the treatment reserved for those unable to comply. Traders who had not yet made any sales and could not afford the imposed levies were reportedly rounded up and taken away. Families were later forced to pay heavy ransoms to secure the release of their loved ones, further deepening the economic hardship faced by the already battered population.
As the suffering intensifies, the people of Kumbo and greater Bui County continue to endure what many describe as a calculated campaign of economic strangulation under occupation. For many Ambazonians, these acts only reinforce long-held convictions about the true intentions of La République’s presence in their homeland.
