Bamenda prison inmates appeal to Biya as conflict effects hits

By Thomas Mokum

Inmates of the Bamenda central prison have addressed a letter to the President of the Republic Paul Biya appealing and suggesting ways to solve the on-going armed conflict in the North West and South Regions.

The inmates sent their message during the finals of the first edition of Inter-prison Sports competition for talent promotion and social change Futsal tournament at the Bamenda Central Prison Thursday April 25. 

Inmates and Father of Humanity representatives at the Bamenda Prison

Organised by the nongovernmental organisation NGO Father of Humanity, the inmates handed what they called letter of peace and a peace plant to the head of state, the inmates expressed the need for a solution to be provided to the current armed conflict tearing the two regions. To solve the conflict, the inmates solicited ”the unconditional review of our legal system and the conditions of those leaders imprisoned since the outbreak of the crisis and the unconditional release of those who have been arrested and detained unjustly in relation to the Anglophone crisis.” The inmates went on to recommend “an all-inclusive forum for dialogue and consultation on all the demands and grievances put forward should be convened with a view to seek genuine acceptable political long lasting solution. 

Like the inmates, the Senior Administrator of the Bamenda Central Prison Ngu Ndama Henry is also very worried about the situation of the detention facility as a result of the armed conflict. According to the administrator, the prison which normally had about 500 to 600 inmates has witnessed a huge increase. As a result of the armed conflict which has led to the transfer of inmates from Wum, Nkambe, Bali Fundong and Kumbo central prison to Bamenda, the Bamenda central prison now accommodates over 1000. The resultant consequence of this is food and space shortage. 

With the slow nature of court activities due to the armed conflict, it has become very difficult for some of the inmates to be heard with hearing taking longer time than usual. Some of the inmates have been abandoned by their family members who can no longer visit them because either the roads are blocked or it’s a ghost town or they fear being kidnap. Other caregivers have left have left the region to other parts of the country as internally displaced persons IDPs. 

The Father of Humanity prison tournament involving ten prisons that is the C-ward of the Bamenda Central Prison, the Juvenile Reformatory center Bamenda, Mbengwi, Ndop, Bali, Wum, and Fundong Principal prisons and the female section of the Bamenda central. In several messages displayed during the match pass that preceded the finals, the inmates decried violent extremism, hate speech, corruption, crime, fake news, drug abuse and HIV/AIDs transmission. The highly contested finals will see the Bali Central Prison beat Bamenda Central Prison 7-6. After other competitions like egg race, needle and threat, several prices were awarded. 

 

Traditional display during the finals event

Father of Humanity representatives and Organisers of the tournament used the final event to encourage the inmates to avoid drug abuse.