Kumba Bike Riders in a Dilemma:

‘Amba’ Hit Boys Threaten- If you respect the ban on ‘Okada’ you will hear from us

The president of one of the three bike riders’ unions in Kumba has told The Median that bike riders have been threatened with death by ‘Ambazonia hit boys’ if ever they respected the ban order by the government.

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Kumba Bike Riders Facing Threats From Ambazonia Tigers

The president spoke to this reporter after a meeting of Kumba bike riders with Meme SDO, Chamberlin Ntou’ou Ndong to seek better ways of implementing the decision of the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji and that of Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai suspending motorbike taxis in Kumba.

            “We are facing death threats from Ambazonia odeshi boys who have entered Kumba and are threatening us for accepting to get our bikes duly registered before they can circulate in and around town,” said the bikers’ president, noting that they are now caught in a dilemma because if they flout the instructions of the administration they would be considered by government as supporting the separatists, while if they obey the SDO’s orders they are tagged as ‘blacklegs’ by the ‘Ambazonia fighters’.

            The bikers’ president noted that they have been pushed to a very tight corner, even as they are sensitizing their colleagues on the importance of identifying themselves before plying the streets with their bikes.

Mass influx of bikes into K’ba

            Our interlocutor noted further that there has been a mass influx of bikes in Kumba ever since the escalation of violence in neighbouring towns in Meme division and since the announcement of the Ministerial order banning the circulation of bikes in some parts of the Northwest and Southwest regions.

            “Many bike riders from Batibo, Kwa-Kwa, Matoh, Konye, Nguti and all other restive areas have all flooded Kumba,” revealed our source, who added that the situation has created a lot of suspicion in town especially with the many new faces.

            He said with such influx of new bike riders it only becomes imperative and urgent for motor bike riders in Kumba to be identified and registered as this will facilitate the identification of suspects.

Gov’t Delegate Tasked to Provide Uniforms

            During the meeting at the Meme SDO’s office on Monday 12 March 2018 complaints were made about the scarcity of rider’s identification uniforms that are supposed to be provided by the Kumba city council. In response, the SDO ordered government delegate of the Kumba city council to hastily acquire and make available the uniforms to all registered riders.

It was agreed that riders in Kumba I will have yellow uniforms, Kumba II will have red and Kumba III green.