Gunmen Snatch Two Buea Chiefs in under 24 hours

By Boris Esono in Buea

Chief Johnson Njombe Njoke, traditional ruler
of Wokaka, abducted in Buea by Amba boys

The Traditional ruler of Musaka village in Buea, HRH Paul Kombe Njie has reportedly been kidnapped by unknown men and taken to an undisclosed location. Chief Kombe Njie was nabbed Friday 13 July 2018, according to reports.

            His abductors accused him of siding with the government to facilitate the sufferings and killings of Southern Cameroonians.

            His arrest is the second in just two days as Wednesday July 11 saw the arrest of the Traditional ruler of Wokaka village, Chief Jombe Njoke.

            A strong warning was issued by Ambazonia fighters promising to kidnap any chief who dares attend a meeting that was meant to take place Friday July 13 at the SW Chiefs Secretariat and later the SW Governor’s office. Jombe Njoke is a former president of the Fako Chiefs Conference and a contender for the presidency of SW Chiefs Conference, SWECC.

            Chief Njombe’s decision to run for the office of SWECC president attracted counterattack from other chiefs who challenged him, on grounds that a second class chief cannot lord over first class chiefs, and also that he was morally unfit to stand as the touch-bearer for the custodians of the age-old traditions and customs.

            Although no official statement has been made about the kidnap, pro-separatist activists have claimed responsibility for the act. They have equally accused the Chief of working alongside the administration to frustrate their activities in Buea.

            Though rejected by his colleagues of SWECC, Chief Njombe reportedly had the backing of the SW administration, which he was said to be strategically serving.  After several postponements of the SWECC elective general assembly, the acting SWECC executive meeting in Buea in a gathering that was boycotted by Fako chiefs, decided to withdraw Fako Division’s right to host the elective general assembly. This made Chief Njombe’s aides to declare him as the President of SWECC. Though not made official, Chief Njombe of Wokaka has since been passing for the president of SWECC, until his recent abduction by gunmen.

            He has over the years faced resistance from a section of his village that challenged his legitimacy as Chief of Wokaka. His claim to the throne is challenged by some villagers purporting that Njombe is not from the royal family, and that his father who is alive in another village, isn’t of royal blood.

            Land squabbles have since pitted the chief against his subjects, with a plethora of cases filed against him by people of his own village who accuse him of grabbing and selling their land in complicity with some administrative and court officials.

            It should be noted that the meeting that was scheduled for Friday, 13 July 2018 was cancelled. Reports said other chiefs failed to attend the meeting after they learned of Chief Njombe’s kidnap.