BAYEN WARZONE REPORTING:

Ambazonia “Battalion Commander” Killed In Battle of Belo

• How Gilbert Ngwani, 26, saved a captured classmate but died in battle hours after

By Franklin Sone Bayen

Some Ambazonia fighters neutralized and captured by government forces

A “battalion commander” of the Ambazonia fighters who acquitted a captured suspect, perished in gun battle with government defence and security forces less than 24 hours later. Gilbert Ngwani, 26, was found dead with bullet wounds, Thursday, April 7 on the streets of Belo, Boyo Division in the North West Region. He was laid to rest in his family compound on Friday, April 8.

            The man Ngwani acquitted narrated the following testimony to me, which I recorded after thorough scrutiny to authenticate his story. From his outlook, he could be easily mistaken for someone of another ethnic origin with peculiar features, which was the claim of the Ambazonia fighters who abducted him. His identity is withheld to safeguard his security.

            “I travelled to my village Belo last Thursday (March 29) for the funeral of a cousin who died in the village. On Wednesday, April 4, as the gun battles between government forces and the Amba Boys raged on and off, I was making a phone call at the Square when two young men on a motorbike pulled up near me. They were both either below 20 or just above 20. They were very young. I’m myself in my 20s, but they looked younger than me. They asked who I was speaking to on the phone and said I look like some of their enemies.

            “It is true people often tell me I look like people from a certain part of Cameroon, not from any of the Anglophone regions. I told them I was a Bikom from Belo here and said I was speaking to relatives about the funeral of our cousin but they said I was lying. They said they believe I was making a call to security people to locate where they were. They asked me to come with them. They made me mount the bike, one riding; the other sitting behind me. I realized I was truly in trouble when I saw knives protruding from both pockets of the rider and the man behind with a short gun.

War on Separatists:

Violence on Women Spirals As Conflict Escalates

By Aminateh Nkemngu

Women say no to sexual violence

The Anglophone crisis, as it is now known has evolved from one stage to another .Beginning with grievances of various professional groups to mass arrests, then ghost towns and school boycott culminating in mass street protests on 22 September and 1st October.

            However the turning point in the whole crisis seems to have come on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 November 2017.Following the killing of four soldiers and two policemen on by Anglophone secessionists in Cameroon, and an escalation of terror by Anglophone activists agitating for independence, long serving leader, Paul Biya, in a rare televised appearance, called the attackers “terrorists masquerading as secessionists”, and said Cameroon would now defend itself.

“I think things are becoming perfectly clear to everyone,” Mr. Biya said, that Cameroon is under attack from a bunch of “terrorists masquerading as secessionists”.

            The secessionist Ambazonia Defense Forces, the armed wing of the Ambazonia Governing Council, claimed responsibility for the attacks. .

            Promising action, Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo said on Saturday 2 December,  that “measures will be taken immediately” to “eradicate this inconvenient situation”, without elaborating further. State radio was blunter. "President Paul Biya has declared war on these terrorists who seek secession,” it announced.

            These declarations have not only been replicated on the ground, they have had far reaching consequences on various segments of the population. Ever since the declaration of this war, protracted fighting between these armed groups and Cameroon government forces has continued with over 20,000 refugees already registered in neighbouring Nigeria as a result of the conflicts. From Manyu Division where fighting started, it has gradually escalated to involved other divisions in the North West and South West Regions notably Meme, Ndian, Kupe Muanenguba, Lebialem and Momo.

Besides the thousands that have moved to Cross River State of neighbouring Nigeria for safety, there is also a rising number of internally displace persons, most of them women and children.

Anglophone Crisis:

Kidnapping for Ransom Rocks Boyo Division

Forces of law and order in Boyo Division of the North West region have reportedly launched a man hunt to unmask some unknown individuals believed to be members of the separatist group who have recently engaged in a kidnapping spree for ransom of municipal councilors.

            On the night of 28 March 2018   Councilor Bangha Mercy Neng of Muloin council area was kidnapped. She was only released at about 11am on Friday March 30, 2018 after her husband was able to secure the FCFA 1.5 million ransom requested by her kidnappers.

            Few hours later, Councilor Mawein Lawrence of Bobong council area was whisked off from his residence at about 1:30pm by yet unknown men. At press time no demands had been made by the kidnappers yet. 

            These unfortunate happenings have caused Councilors of Njinikom council in Boyo and those of other divisions to live in total fear especially after most of them braved threats from these fighters and massively voted at the just ended senatorial elections.

Fadimatou Iyawa Ousmanou:

Ist Woman to Head National Youth Council

Fadimatou Iyawa Ousmanou, 26, is the new president of the Cameroon National Youth Council, NYC. She was elected at a two-day elective general assembly of the institution holding in Yaounde on 31 March to 1 April 2018.

            Fadimatou is the third president and the first woman to head the NYC since its creation in 2009.

            She will be assisted by Princely Kafain and Anastasie Abomo Meyanga as 1st and 2nd vice presidents respectively. They have a mandate of three years renewable.

            The election of the national bureau of the NYC was the culmination of the renewal of the regional structures of the institution that ended on 17 February 2018.

Report:

Real Madrid wants Salah swap for Isco, money

Mohamed Salah is having a magical season, and there’s every reason to believe he’s capable of performing at a similar level for several years.

            This has led to reports of a wild $280 million price tag and also to Real Madrid and other rich clubs thinking of plying him from Liverpool (We’ve made the argument that the Egyptian is “unsellable” given Liverpool’s goals under Jurgen Klopp).

[ MORE: Salah injury update ]

            Diario Gol says that Real knows that Liverpool wouldn’t dream of selling Salah for less than Barcelona paid for Philippe Coutinho (and that’s quite reasonable, considering that Coutinho’s best season is nowhere near Salah’s 2017-18 and not even really his 2016-17 at AS Roma).

La Liga:

Messi’s hat trick; Barca tie record of 38 games unbeaten

Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and ensured Barcelona equaled a Spanish league record of 38 matches without a loss after beating Leganes 3-1 on Saturday.

            Barcelona matched Real Sociedad’s milestone set in 1979-80 by remaining undefeated through 31 rounds this season after finishing the last campaign without a loss over the final seven games. The runaway leader hasn’t lost in La Liga in a year.

UEFA Champions League:

Ronaldo's stunning goal garnishes Real Madrid win over Juventus

Even by his own standards, this was obscene from Cristiano Ronaldo.

            The great Portuguese stunned the Juventus Stadium into silence on Tuesday night as he scored an overhead kick of wonderful power, grace and daring.

            The Real Madrid man had already opened the scoring after three minutes with a neat finish, but the experienced Italian side rallied well to have the better of the first half.

            After 64 minutes, however, Ronaldo produced one of the most delightful goals this competition has seen.

            A mix-up between Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon saw Ronaldo pounce on the ball. He slipped it to Lucas Vazquez, who struck a crisp drive. A fine save from Buffon looked to have restored order, but the ball dropped handily for Dani Carvajal on the right.

            He crossed the ball, high, and Ronaldo leaped like an immaculately coiffured salmon to bicycle-kick the ball into the corner.

            It was a perfect blend of beauty and timing. The mighty Buffon was powerless.

And there was no way back for a gutted Juventus.

            Shortly after that, Paulo Dybala was sent off for a second yellow card, his first half booking for diving compounded by a kung-fu kick to the chest of Carvajal.

            Relentless Madrid sought the third, and it eventually came when Ronaldo stabbed through a pass for Marcelo to clip over the keeper.