Senator Tabetando, Minister Victor Mengot and CPDM Prof. Etchu George, escaped an apparent assassination attempt when Southern Cameroons Restoration Forces protecting the Manyu County attacked their convoy as it left GRA Mamfe on October 7, Cameroon government officials said.

The Manyu CPDM barons were caught by surprise and forced to run for cover at the residence of the Senior Divisional Officer for Manyu.  In an impassioned narration of the events, the Francophone SDO noted that Ambazonian fighters attempted to kill him and the Manyu CPDM leaders.

CPDM business tycoon, Enow Bate, popularly known as Bescam, told friends and family that Cameroon government security officers ordered them to lie on the floor for more than 12 hours. Cameroon Intelligence Report correspondent in Mamfe said the incident took place shortly after 7: a.m. as the Manyu CPDM leaders were heading to stage a voting process in front of CRTV cameras at the Women’s Home in Mamfe.

The visibly shaken Manyu CPDM Senator has never been heard from again since he left his home constituency.  Troops loyal to the Biya regime escorted Senator Tabetando and Minister Mengot out of Mamfe.

The Manyu CPDM leaders have all taken refuge in Yaoundé and are still supporting the deeply unpopular leader, 85 years-old President Biya, who is currently rigging his way to a new term in office, in a vote decried by dozens of African nations, including the European Union.

A well-placed Manyu CPDM source said the attempted assassination targeted not only Chief Tabetando and Minister Mengot, but rather the Manyu CPDM’s entire high command, including the SDO.  “We are in the midst of a wave of civil war in Cameroon,” noted a local militant of the ruling party.  The ruling CPDM party has been banned by the Interim Government of Southern Cameroons and designated as a terrorist organization.

By Asu Vera Eyere