From Bakah
Derick in Bamenda
The security in the city of Bamenda has been
put on red alert following repeated explosions in the city. After an explosion
last Monday September 11, 2017 whose cause, target or those responsible have
not been established, another explosion last Saturday 16, 2017 evening sent the
city again into chaos.
According to those who reached the explosion
scene earlier at the hospital roundabout neighborhood in Bamenda II Subdivision
that evening, they had followed the noise of “something like a bomb” but they
could not get to the explosion site due to heavy security presence.
This reporter later gathered that it was the
second explosion that evening following one that occurred in a taxi carrying a
speaker to the Bamenda congress hall which of recent has been serving as home
to many military men deployed to the city of Bamenda to manage the security of
the city. A few things have however remained unclear about the explosion in the
taxi since the car is not damaged. This also raises issues of the destructive
ability of the explosives. The driver who was later taken to the police for
questioning, told our police sources that he was carrying three young men who
entered his taxi from hospital roundabout to the congress hall but when the
explosion occurred around the food market as they went to the Congress hall, they
stepped out and when he tried grabbing one of them, they over powered him. He
then had to report the incidence to the police and together with the police as
they moved towards the location where he carried the young men at hospital
roundabout the second occurred.
At the scene one could see the remains of a
gas bottle just like at the entrance of the North West Regional Delegation of
public Health where the second occurred. Beside the site of the explosion close
to Bamenda City Council owned shops could be seen another speaker like
explosive with a gas bottle and some fuel. The Rapid Intervention Batalion BIR
had step in to dismantle the explosive.
Like the taxi driver, the Night watch at the
Regional Delegation for public health was also taken for questioning. Combat
ready forces have been stationed around the area. Panic can also be noticed in
the voices of everyone at hospital roundabout. The security has remained
assuring that everything is under control. “Man go run go wosai?” “weeeeh so
man fit just die for Bamenda so?” “na who di waka with bomb?” many question
rhetorically in pidgin.
No life or property has been lost so far.
Away from being home to the recently deployed
military to Bamenda, the Bamenda Congress hall is host to several events
including Church services and marriages. Many have been wondering if the
speaker like explosives where not targeting one of the events at the Congress
hall or was just to make believe that there were explosions in town.
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