Briefs

Compiled by Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Gunmen Attack Mayor’s House in Kumba

Some unidentified gunmen on Tuesday stormed the residence of the Mayor of Kumba I Council, Ebako Abel Ndoh but were halted by security forces who rushed to the scene after an alert reportedly from the Mayor’s wife. The gunmen had succeeded to vandalize the gate of the house and were heading in when the security reinforcement arrived at the scene. 

            The motive of the assailants is still unknown. The Mayor was not at home at the time of the incident.

            The Mile 1 neighbourhood where the Mayor resides has since become a hot spot since the escalation of hostilities in the ongoing Anglophone crisis, with several cases of kidnap of recorded there. It was in the same area that a police woman was kidnapped and later murdered few months ago.

Separatists Attack Ekombe Military Base

The recently created military base in Small Ekombe, along the Kumba-Ekondo-Titi road in the South West Region was on Wednesday 19 September, attacked by some about 30 gunmen believed to be elements of the Ambazonia fighters.

            The gunmen blocked the main road at the Mile One Bridge and interrupted traffic before invading the base, according to a local radio report. The report quoted passengers saying that the incident was like a film and that it happened when the soldiers were not in their base.

            It is said the gunmen actually vandalised the military base.

Mayor’s Son, Driver Kidnapped and Freed 

The son and driver of the Mayor of Kumba II municipality have regained their freedom after spending hours in captivity with their kidnappers believed to be elements of the Ambazonia fighters. The two were released in the evening of Tuesday 18 September, hours after they were kidnapped.

            They were kidnapped while on their way back from the Mayor’s farm located at Matoh road in the Kosala, Kumba. It is said the Mayor’s son sustained severe injuries from the torture he received in the hands of the abductors.

            We gathered the son and driver went to the farm with the Mayor’s car to fetch firewood.  We could not independently confirm if the victims were released upon the payment of a ransom.

DO imposes dusk-to-dawn curfew in Kumba 1

            The Divisional Officer of Kumba I, Safffo Roger, has restricted the operations of drinking spots to between 7:00pm and 6:00am daily till further notice. The announcement dated September 21 calls on the proprietors of drinking spots and the inhabitants of Kumba I to respect the order under pain of facing administrative sanctions. The move is linked to the ongoing conflict in the North West and South West Regions, especially ahead of the October 7 polls.

Kumba-Ekondo-Titi Road Driver Commits Suicide

A driver plying the Kumba-Ekondo-Titi road axis has committed suicide in Kumba. Joseph Masuh said to be in his early 40s committed the act recently in a bush at Kake, believed to be his plot.

            The incident occurred few days after the said Masuh organized a heavy feast that last lasted hours to celebrate his survival in a road accident that would have taken away his life. The act has left many wondering as to what would have actually caused Masuh to take away his own life days after celebrating with friends and family members.

            The incident has left many inhabitants of the Mile one neighbourhood grip with fear. Tongues have been wagging with some Kumba inhabitants attributing it to ritual sacrifice. Masuh leaves behind a young beautiful wife in her early 30s and a fresh new born baby, we gathered.

Basic Education Official Kidnapped In Kumba

An abduction alarm has been raised in Kumba by the family of an official attached to the Inspectorate of Basic Education in Konye Sub-Division, Meme Division of the Southwest Region. Ewanng Jacob who also doubles as a councillor with the Konye Council was reported abducted by unknown persons and whisked to an undisclosed location on August 31, 2018.

            A source close to Ewang’s family told The Median that the wife only raised an alarm of her husband’s abduction hours after waiting for his return but to no avail. Ewang is said to have left the house on Friday. Ewang had escaped the insecurity in Konye months back after several other attempts to kidnap him were abortive. He equally doubles as the secretary of the Konye council’s development committee.

Man beaten to death, corpse dumped in river

A worker in a cocoa farm whose names we couldn’t immediately get is said to have beheaded his boss’ wife over arguments on accumulated salary that the boss whose names we only got as ‘Ten Kobo’ is said to have owed him. The incident occurred on 29 August 2018 in Melonghoh village, in Western Bakossi, Kupe Muanenguba Division of the Southwest Region.

            Our source revealed that, the worker appeared in the house of his boss at a time the woman was in the parlour and demanded to see him but the wife said he was in the bedroom. Minutes after, the worker is said to have pulled a machete and beheaded the boss’ wife.

            The incident occurred while the husband was in the room but to the surprise of many, the husband told onlookers and neighbours who were the first to discover the macabre act that he wasn’t aware of anything of that nature. The husband said he didn’t hear any sound or cry to have known that his wife was been beheaded.

            The act left angry youths to beat up the murderer to the death. His remains was later dumped in a river in the village. The youths are said to have gotten the husband were beaten after dumping the corpse of the murderer in the river. ‘Ten Kobo’ was later accused of hiding the actual cause of the death as the angry youths suspected the incident to have been related to rituals sacrifice.