Anglophone crisis:

‘Red Dragons’ Attack Local Council, DO’s Office in Lebialem

-Radio equipment, council property carted away

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Ambazonia fighters

Gunmen believed to be elements of the Lebialem Red Dragons, a group of the Ambazonia separatists fighters resident in Lebialem, are said to have attacked the Alou council building, the Alou community radio and the office of the Divisional Officer, DO, of Alou Sub-Division.

            A worker with the said council who pleaded for anonymity told The Median that, the incident occurred when the Red Dragon fighters stormed the council building, the structure hosting the community radio and the DO’s office, shattering the windows and solid metal doors to get themselves into the structures.

            The incident occurred in the evening of Tuesday August 28, 2018, our source revealed adding that after the burglary, the gunmen ransacked the said structures and carried away council equipment, valuables and transported them to unknown locations.

            Our interlocutor added that, after robbing the council, the gunmen diverted their attention to the structure hosting the Alou Community Radio just beside the council. Here, equipment of the recently installed community radio, a joint project sponsored by the Alou council and PNDP at the tune of FCFA 50 million to serve the people of Lebialem and its environs were dismantle and carried away to an undisclosed location. We are told there was sustained gun battle immediately after the incident between the Red Dragons and forces of law and order.

            The Alou community radio went operational in January 2018 before going into a temporal halt following the escalation of the Anglophone crisis in the entire Lebialem Division. Our source added that, it is as a result of the same escalating crisis that council officials in Alou have flee to other towns for safety. Worth noting is the fact that, Alou council has become the first council to be visited and burgled by unknown gunmen in the Southwest Region since the beginning of the crisis while the Alou community radio goes into record as the second community radio to suffer an attack in the Region after a community radio was attacked and set ablaze in Tombel.