Bamenda III Authorities Visit Victims of Armed Attack in Ntahbang Nkwen, Promise Investigation

The Divisional Officer for Bamenda III Subdivision, Austin Ayuni Sakah, the Mayor of Bamenda III Municipality, Fongu Cletus Tanwe, and the Fon of Nkwen on Tuesday 27 February 2024 visited victims of an armed attack in Ntahbang Nkwen on Monday 26. The injured victims are currently receiving treatment at the Bamenda regional hospital.

The authorities extended words of encouragement to the victims who are in deep pain due to severe injuries inflicted on them with various weapons, including guns. They have promised to investigate the issue further to bring the perpetrators to justice.

HRH Fon Azehfor III (in white) and Mayor Fongu Cletus Tanwe (in black) with affected victims at the Bamenda regional hospital 

According to the three victims, they were working in Ntahbang below the Mt Calvary Cross area when armed individuals attacked them and accused them of encroaching on their land. The victims, consisting of both Nkwen people and non-Nkwen people who are internally displaced due to the ongoing conflict, had sought farming land from Nkwen and were farming when the incident occurred.

Despite the serious injuries sustained, the victims are responding well to treatment at the hospital. Sources at the Nkwen palace have expressed concerns about the armed individuals involved in the attack, as the use of guns is restricted to state forces and common only with non-state armed groups in the ongoing conflict.

One of the victims with a seriously injured leg

The palace acknowledges a history of land disputes with their Bambili neighbors and claims to be abiding by an administrative injunction on the land. They also suggest that well-known individuals instigating trouble in the area were part of the armed attackers.

The visit by the authorities highlights their commitment to supporting and seeking justice for the victims of the violent attack in Ntahbang Nkwen.

By Bakah Derick