With Amba Forces Now In Control:

Tinto Mayor Cries for Help, Says Upper Bayang is Ungovernable

By Ticha Melanis in Limbe

Tinto Mayor, Chief Bate Epey Robert

The mayor of Tinto municipality in Upper Bayang, Manyu division has said that his municipality has been overrun by Ambazonia Defence Forces and he does not feel secure to stay back and manage the council area. He, just like most of the council staff and other government functionaries working in Tinto have all fled to safer destinations.

            Chief Prof. Bate Epey Robert was speaking Friday, in Limbe, as he emerged from his hideout to attend the councils’ development follow-up meeting dubbed “Performance Basket 2018” organized by PNDP. The event is organized annually to evaluate the progress made by councils in terms of performance, development and projects execution.

            Intriguingly, of the 31 mayors of the SW expected at the meeting in Limbe, only five could attend. The others complained of insecurity in their localities that has made it impossible for them to travel out.

            In a rather pathetic tone, Chief Bate Epey said his municipality and all of Upper Bayang sub-division have been rendered incommodious by the gun battles and hostilities occasioned by separatist Amba fighters. He says his municipality has come to a standstill; the populations and administrators have all fled to safer destinations. Not even the few security officers posted in Tinto have mustered the courage to stay and face the deadly Amba boys, he lamented.

            “My people are in a desperate situation. We can no longer stay in our homes because of the fear of the unknown. My municipality is completely grounded; there’s virtually no activity going on there. Everybody is on the run including even myself, the mayor. I must say the truth to you because i would not be helping things if i should lie. Truth is that people have all been chased away; and the few still hanging around cannot go to their farms or offices.”

            It should be noted that Upper Bayang subdivision that was thought to be spared by the Ambazonia war, has suddenly become the fulcrum of violent hostilities. Only recently, the Mbinjong village residence of the Minister of special duties at the presidency, Victor Arrey Mengot, was burnt by yet unknown persons. The irate Amba boys also attempted burning the home of General Elokobi Daniel Njock in his village, but the villagers came out like one man and pleaded with them to spare the general. They obliged.

            Also, on National day on May 20th this year, not even a single civilian took part in the traditional march past at the Tinto grandstand. Only the DO and some four gendarmes participated in a mock celebration that lasted less than five minutes.

            The situation in Tinto is reminiscent of the atmosphere in several municipalities in the SW, notably councils in Ndian, Lebialem, Kupe Muanenguba, Meme, Manyu and increasingly Fako. In Meme for example, the Mbonge council has been grounded for over six months. In Ndian virtually no council is operating. Government offices are also shutdown.

            It the same situation in the NW region, where areas like Belo, Kom, Kumbo etc are said to be hot battle grounds between gunmen and government forces.