A University of Buea student visiting his mother in Bamenda was killed on Wednesday night after the occupational forces stormed the neighbourhood in a sweeping raid. Witnesses say soldiers broke into several homes and opened fire without warning. The student, who had arrived from Buea only days earlier, was shot in the mouth, arms and back. Neighbours rushed him toward the hospital, but he died on the way, around 10 p.m. His body was later taken to Foumbot, his father’s hometown.
Residents say the killing unfolded during a tense standoff between the colonial army and Ambazonia community fighters earlier in the day. Clashes had erupted across parts of Bamenda, prompting heavy deployments and aggressive patrols by the forces loyal to Yaoundé.
After the confrontation, soldiers fanned out across nearby quarters, forcing entry into homes and accusing every male they encountered of being a fighter or an accomplice. Families reported panic, assaults and widespread intimidation as troops moved house to house.
Local voices say the death of the student reflects the deepening human toll of the conflict, with unarmed civilians increasingly caught in the crossfire between self-defence operations and retaliatory military actions.
By Lucas Muma
