Konye Sub-Division:

Gunmen Abduct Ikiliwindi Chief, Two Other Traditional Council Members

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Unknown gunmen are reported to have abducted the tradional custodian of the people of Ikiliwindi village in Konye Sub-Division, Meme Division in the Southwest Region. Reports have it that Chief Mbele Collins was abducted to an unknown destination in the evening hours of Tuesday February 20, 2018 in his palace.

            We gathered that he was whisked away shortly after chairing a conclave with members of his traditional council on that same day. In the same development, on the early hours of Wednesday February 21, news went viral on the abduction of his traditional council chairman and the secretary of the council.

            The news of their disappearance to unknown places is said to have created a lot of panic in the entire village as many youths began searching for the three personalities in various bushes. A source told this reporter that the abduction of the Chief and the two other council members has cause mass exodus of villagers to nearby bushes and villages.

            “Many youths especially boys are running away from the village for fear of military retaliation and brutality. Some are running to nebouring Konye and others heading to Mambanda in Kumba III Sub-Division” our Ikiliwindi source revealed through a telephone interview in a hideout.

            Worthy of note here is the fact that Ikiliwindi has been the epicenter of hostilities since the escalation of the Anglophone crisis into violence from September last year. Several deaths have been recorded on both the military and civilians. The Ikiliwindi Gendammerie post has witnessed several attacks and destruction of property as well as many youths have been carted away from the village by the security forces.

            We gathered the continuous escation of violence in the area is due to the massive arrest that was carried out in the area during the October demonstration last year. Locals in the area that many of such youths that were arrested have not been found and as such it is leaving the concern families more violent.

            It is also rumour from unconfirmed sources that Chief Mbele Collins has been considered as a blackleg in the village and noted for revealing supporters of the Ambazonia struggle to administrative and security forces. Others indicated FCFA 500 000 has been demanded from his family in other to secure his release.

            The abduction of the Chief Mbele of Ikiliwindi increases the number of abducted chiefs to two. In early January, the chief of Mofako Bekondo in Mbonge Sub-Division was abducted by unknown persons and release after days of torture. Several other traditional rulers have also deserted their villages while courageous ones now go about without putting on their traditional regalia.