Man of Courage & Patriotism:

Buea Mayor Hailed as Kidnapped Chiefs are Freed

By Boris Esono in Buea

Minister Atanga Nji Paul told Chiefs kidnappers will not go unpunished

The Mayor of Buea, Patrick Ekema, has been hailed by the government for the courageous role he played in getting the kidnapped Fako chiefs to be released by their captors.

            The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, praised the mayor, describing him as a true patriot who should be emulated by other Cameroonians.

            He was speaking as he received some seven Fako chiefs who were recently released from captivity. The chiefs had spent more than a week in the bushes with their Amba captors. One of the chiefs died in the course of the ill-treatment they received in the hands of the Amba boys.

            In what many described as a demonstration of courage and patriotism, the mayor of Buea rallied the populations of Fako to stand up like one man and march for the release of the chiefs. He gave the captors 24 hours to free the chiefs or face the wrath of the people. The chiefs were freed the very next day.

            At the behest of the no-nonsense mayor, a Bakweri forum that brought together several scores of Bakweri indigenes at the council chambers was followed days later by a peaceful march in Buea that saw over 100 persons marching and calling for the release of all those kidnapped and an end to ghost towns and violence in Buea, Fako and the entire SW region. The march on Tuesday 31 July started from the Bongo’s square to the SW Governor’s office.

            During the peaceful demonstration, people carried placards with inscriptions like “The state should protect minorities”; “No to violence”; ‘No to Kidnapping and killing of Chiefs”; “Killing of Chiefs is a sacrilege in our culture”.

            Speaking before the march, Mayor Ekema Patrick indicated that after countless meetings we have been having, we are now ripping the benefits. After a 24hrs ultimatum for our traditional rulers to be released, information indicates that they have been freed. He regretted the loss of one of the chiefs.  

            The mayore enjoined the populations to work hard to see that other persons who are still in captivity are also set free.

            “The Amba boys should allow our mothers and fathers to go to their farms without any threat,” the mayor ordered, noting that all the shops that were sealed on 23 and 30 July will be given clemency and be opened with the hope that the ghost towns will cease from being observed in the municipality.

            In a memorandum tabled to the Governor of the SWR, the people of Fako called on the government to investigate the killing of Chief Mbanda of Lysoka-Moliwe, the release of those still in captivity and the redeployment of more soldiers to protect the integrity of the region amongst others.

            Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai on his part expressed his joy to the fact that the traditional leaders who were arrested had been released although one was killed.

He called on the population to unite and ensure that all those who have been kidnapped should be released.

            “We have to stop the violence currently going on in the region. Peace is a prerequisite for everyone. If we are not in peace, we cannot dialogue. Let us avoid violence, provocation because violence against violence creates chaos. We will continue to appeal to those who are carrying out acts of terrorism to stop because it is only though peace that the dialogue we want

will continue,” Governor Okalia Bilai noted.

Ban of Motorbikes

            Meanwhile the Mayor also warned of a total ban on the circulation of commercial motorbikes in the municipality until security returns. The mayor explained that most of the violence in the town is caused by “Amba” boys on motorcycles.

            To replace the motorbikes, the Mayor said the council will procure other movable equipment that will aid the population especially those in the interior villages.

No AAC III in Buea

            Speaking during the peaceful match, Mayor Ekema Patrick maintained that the Anglophone General Conference AGC, which has been convened by Cardinal Tumi and scheduled to hold on 29 to 30 August in Buea will not take place. He said the initiative by the church leaders headed by Christian Cardinal Tumi will only provoke further chaos and lead to bloodshed in the town at a time when the region will be preparing for the resumption of schools in September.