BY ALICE NJI
Tension mounts within families of thousands as the security operatives have engaged in the arrest and detention of those who are reported to have been deported from the various countries they fled to for safety and protection taking into consideration that their respect for Human Rights is prime when the armed conflict in the North West and South West Region reached its apex.
It should be recalled that these Anglophones fled the country when security and defence forces declared them wanted for allegedly siding with separatist fighters. Prosecution, extrajudicial killings, molestation and torture await them anytime they return to Cameroon. Especially Cameroonians in the US, and Europe, who risk deportation, will face prosecution and even death.
Consequently, witch-hunting and fear of the unknown have made them go underground for fear of reprisals. Families are bearing the brunt of the unending crisis which morphed into an armed conflict since 2017.
The victims are either kidnapped by separatist fighters for ransom for siding with the military on one hand or are arrested tortured, molested and even killed by the military on grounds that they are not only siding with, collaborating and sponsoring separatist Fighters, but are equally considered as informants and spies of the separatist fighters who are fighting for the independence of the former British Southern Cameroons.
The separatist fighters have imposed school boycotts and lockdowns in the North West and South West Regions.
Reports from Kumba, Meme Division, South West Region, considered one of the restive towns amidst the ongoing armed conflict, say the family of Mendes Yankam Yankam Colin is worried about his whereabouts since April 2025 after the police investigator adjourned his routine check at the police station for further investigation ever since he was released in December 2023.
THE SUN gathered that Yankam’s family is amongst the families bearing the brunt of the armed conflict raging on in the North West and South West Regions since 2017. In February 2024, Yankam Colin’s uncle, Johntahn Ettiene, is reported to have been shot and killed reorptedly by the military while returning from Church, for allegedly masterminding the celebration of National Youth Day boycott. In January 2024 following a crossfire between the separatist fighters and the government forces, a grenade is reported to have exploded at the Kumba main market, killing about seven civilians including Mendes Yankam Yakam Colin’s cousin, Yankam Joseph.
At Press time family sources said Mendes Yankam Yankam Colin has been declared wanted by security and defense forces with an arrest warrant issued for him. This has caused his entire family restless, especially his wife, helpless as she was equally arrested, interrogated and accused by the police in January 2024 of supplying food stuff and medication to separatist fighters.
It should be recalled that Mendes Yankam Yankam Colin, holder of a Bachelors Degree in Economics, like many Anglophone youths was arrested in Kumba alongside his classmate in a popular drinking spot, Bush Faller Spot, on in December 1, 2023.
Family sources hinted THE SUN that Mendes Yankam had travelled to Kumba to celebrate the birthday of his classmate, Henry Sama, but unfortunately security operatives arrested him alongside his friend shortly after the ceremony. They were arrested on allegations that they are informants and spies of separatist fighters. They were also accused of being among the perpetrators of lockdowns and school boycotts.
Subsequently, Yankam Yankam was tagged a secessionist while in detention at the Kumba Central Police Station where he was reportedly tortured and placed under degrading and inhumane detention conditions for four days.
Nonetheless, he was later released thanks to the intervention of his attorney. He was freed on condition that he was to routinely present himself at the police station while investigation was ongoing.
The government crackdown on Anglophone activists and politicians has since intensified with arbitrary arrests, detention, torture and extra-judicial killings becoming the new normal, human rights groups have said.
According to the International Crisis Group, Amnesty International, in 2019 about 3,000 people died, at least 500,000 were internally displaced and about 40,000 fled to neighbouring Nigeria where they are living as refugees. Meanwhile, close to 700,000 children were deprived of schooling. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, reported in July 2019 that about 1.3 million people in the Anglophone Regions urgently needed humanitarian aid.
Government forces have reportedly engaged in extrajudicial killings, random looting, shooting, torture, molestation using disproportionate and discriminating force, abusing and arresting protesters, burning more than 200 villages, 500 houses, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians, attacking hospitals beating and raping women and girls.
