Under rising pressure from Ambazonia Restoration Forces, Yaoundé goes after traditional rulers
In the latest episode in the never-ending war in Southern Cameroons, Minister Beti Assomo recently instructed soldiers loyal to the regime in Yaoundé to search the palaces of several high notables of the Bui Kingdom including the much respected and pro French Cameroun Fon Mbinglo.
Defence ministry issued the search warrant for several high Nso officials amid speculation that Minister Beti Assomo is longer Biya’s preferred choice.
The country’s Defense minister who arrogantly declared that he would implement president Biya’s decision of going to war against the English speaking people of Southern Cameroons without batting an eyelid has reportedly met his waterloo.
For more than four years, Southern Cameroonian fighters have proven that they are a force to reckon with and this has called into question the quality of soldiers being trained in Cameroon’s military academy.
Despite the military’s brutality and primitive approach, Southern Cameroonian fighters have succeeded to kill some 3,000 army soldiers and maimed almost the same number and this is already creating an uprising within the military.
Many soldiers have fled to neighboring countries and scandals about the payment of per diem to soldiers fighting in Southern Cameroons and the disappearance of huge amounts of money intended for the soldiers have given Joseph Beti Assomo a very bad name.
Beti Assomo is one of those who erroneously think that only a military victory will put an end to the conflict that has been considered by the international community as a conflict that could have been avoided if it had been properly managed.
He is also being accused of running a war economy that makes it hard for the conflict to be addressed. Regime insiders hold that he will be cut off following the cabinet reshuffle that is on the horizon because of his hawkish approach to the conflict in Southern Cameroons.
By Rita Akana with additional reporting from Soter Agbaw-Ebai and Africa Intelligence