Discovery of weapons of war:

MBENGWI, the military

headquarters of Ambazonia?

By Francis EkongangNzante in Bamenda

Were leaders of the Southern Cameroon struggle planning to make Mbengwi their military headquarters? This is what commentators here are speculating, following the recent discovery there of a well packaged and carefully hidden consignment of weapons of war and other military paraphernalia.

The spokesman of the Cameroon government announced the discovery during a press outing on 9 August 2017 in Yaounde. IssaTchiroma said a certain Dasi Alfred Nghah alias ‘Sniper’, who claimed to have procured the weapons from abroad and transferred them to Mbengwi via a neighbouring country, said he was the commander of the military wing of the Ambazonia struggle and that he personally acquired the weapons and ensured their safe transportation into Mbengwi for the purpose of the struggle.

                “On 2nd and 3rd August 2017, the services of the North-West Regional Delegation for National Security arrested five individuals during their inspection operations in the town of Mbengwi, Momo Division, of the North-West Region. They included DASI Alfred NGYAH alias "Sniper"; MBA-ABE Edwin DASI; TEFEH Collins TEGHE; FUH Luther CHE; NGWA Louis MONYONGA and Martha FORMENYAM,” IssaTchiroma edified, noting that “the first exploitation of the detainees permitted the authorities to carry out a raid at the residence of Mr DASI Alfred NGYAH, prominently the head of the gang, where the police discovered several military items carefully arranged and concealed in a bunker by him.”

                The items found included semi-automatic firearms, night vision devices with a telemeter laser, shooting goggles, a firing episcope equipped with amour plating, bipods and tripods for precision weapons, gun chargers for snipers, containers equipped with explosive charges, chemicals as explosive charges, detonator cords, explosive device switches, timers and other devices for the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices and firearms, Tchiroma informed, noting further that upon exploitation of a laptop which was also seized at the scene it revealed the presence of electronic files containing information on the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices and a map unveiling the hidden units of the Southern Cameroon Liberation Movement.

                Investigation by the police also indicated that DASI Alfred NGYAH, the main suspect, resides in a foreign country where he is also a national, although he is of Cameroonian origin. Yet Dasi admitted being a frontline member of the Ambazonia movement and the main leader of the armed wing of the "Liberation Movement of Southern Cameroon".

                Quizzed on the origin, belonging and destination of the military devices seized at his residence, Dasi asserted to be the owner and declared that he had personally acquired them abroad, and then transferred them to Cameroon via a neighboring country.

                Further investigations also established that Mr DASI Alfred NGYAH was the brain behind the network previously identified as the perpetrators of the attack foiled in prelude to the celebration of the 20 May 2015 National Day in Bamenda.

                Dasi and his Lieutenants succeeded to escape and take refuge abroad, after the foiled 20 May 2015 armed attack, Tchiroma noted, further speculating that the return of Dasi and his Commandos to Cameroon was with the aim to carry out attacks against the Defense and Security Forces, military officials and administrative authorities in the zones of Cameroon which they have carved out and given the name Ambazonia.

                Police findings revealed that at the time of his arrest on 2 and 3 August, DASI Alfred and his men were preparing an attack on a police checkpoint.

                The suspects are presently behind bars and are helping the security agencies in investigations.