Dozens of “Amba Boys”, Innocent Civilians Massacred In Pinyin

By Njodzefe Nestor in B’da

Over 20 Persons were brutally massacred in Menka-Pinyin in Santa subdivision, by soldiers on Friday

It was a bloody Friday May 24, 2018 in Menka-Pinyin a clan in Santa Sub-Division, North West Region as over 30 people, most of them alleged to be separatist fighters were reportedly killed by the military.

            No sooner did the massacre occur did conspiracy theorists start to question whether those killed were innocent civilians or they were actually the separatist fighters who are believed to have taken residence in the area and had started recruiting others.

            According to Colonel Didier Badjeck,   spokesperson of the Cameroon Military, they were tipped off to the presence of separatist rebels in the locality residing in a motel and thus had to swing into action.

            He revealed that a long firefight ensued between the military and the armed separatists and “several terrorists were neutralized” and a good consignment of weapons seized from them.

            Colonel Didier Badjeck however kept sealed lips on whether the military killed anybody but debunked pictures of corpses riddled with gunshot wounds circulating on social media calling them fake.

            A local of Menka who opted for anonymity revealed to The Median that a group of over five boys forcefully occupied the Motel in the area on May 23 claiming to be Amba fighters and after setting up their camp they started recruiting boys from around the area and some surrounding villages.

            He also revealed that the supposed Amba fighters kidnapped some young girls and started asking for ransom from families and even turned some into sex slaves.

            It is reported that when the military stormed the area that Friday morning and in their usual “unprofessional” manner of operation, they started shooting indiscriminately and in the process killed innocent civilians especially those who had been kidnapped by the alleged separatist fight            ers.

            There are however some people who believe that those who were killed were armless innocent civilians.

             “We think that at first glance they are civilians because no weapon was found on them. The husband of an activist from our party is among the victims,” observed Hon. Nji Tumasang, an SDF MP.

            The former President of the Cameroon Bar Council and 2018 Presidential candidate Barrister Akere Muna has condemned the killings, calling it a gross violation of human rights and values.

            “As much as one can understand the fact that the government is worried about the sovereignty of the state and interference in its internal affairs, it is untenable that it remains numb to the continuous loss of life. The recent killings in Menka-Pinyin of innocent unarmed civilians shows the total disregard for human life and growing human plight in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon,” Akere Muna said.

            The former Batonnier has called on the international community to step in now before the situation escalates saying,  “War crimes are being committed; there are international bodies that have the mandate to investigate these. My call is for the United Nations and the International community to immediately intervene to prevent the further loss of life.”

            “Pinyin, Bali and Batibo our hearts are with you during this painful moment looking at these pictures of more than 40 young people dead in 48 hours. We must stand together and stop this senseless war,” bemoaned Barrister Agbor Balla on his facebook page.