Bamenda-based investigative Journalist and foremost human rights defender, Colbert Gwain, who doubles as political affairs program Radio host and award-winning Content Creator at The Colbert Factor online platform, has been witnessing mounting threats to his life and that of the family, following his ceaseless documentation and denouncing of gross human rights abuses and violations, extrajudicial killings and maimings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and more importantly, kidnappings for ransom by both state and non-state actors in the ongoing minority conflict in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon, in the last few months.
Following last month's brutal killing of Professor Emmanuel Chiabi, a 77-year-old U.S citizen of Cameroon nationality in Bamenda, epicenter of the six-year prolonged conflict, the killing of three innocent youths on last Easter Sunday night; and The Colbert Factor's conclusive investigative report that the acts were carried out by none state actors, these threats have further increased to frightening levels.
His friends and colleagues human rights defenders report he has been receiving unspecified number of anonymous calls, online and physical threats, and worse of all, state authorities surveying his neighborhood, even as he since disappeared from public view.The threats and attacks are likely only going to increase with the programmed publication of a one-year long investigative and whistle blowing report he has been carrying out on alleged corruption, mismanagement and misappropriation of development funds in the over 50 municipalities across the conflict stricken English speaking regions in the last five years.
Observers of the political and security situation in Cameroon fear for his life, given the fact that another corruption and embezzlement whistle blower, Martinez Zogo, was found dead on the streets of Yaounde, Cameroon's political capital, three days after he was suspended to have been kidnapped by agents of those he was investigating their involvement in the corruption scandals.
Colbert Gwain has remained one of the most resilient human rights defenders and investigative journalists still living and working in Bamenda, epicenter of the separatist conflict that has killed over 10000 civilians, displaced same number internally and externally: and seen hundreds of human rights defenders, activists and journalists either being detained or forced to disappear for their safety.