Youth Day celebration: Explosion kills one, injures over 40 at Nkambe grandstand.

The tragic incident, which occurred during 58^th national Youth Day celebration, is also said to have left four persons critical injured, while over 40 others sustained minor injuries, according to the North West governor. Other accounts had put the figure at 82.

The attack is believed to have been carried out by separatist fighters who are said to have come in from a neighbouring Division. It caused pandemonium, bringing the Youth Day celebration in Nkambe to an abrupt end.

Amateur footages circulated Sunday, showed students, pupils and the local population in attendance, fleeing for safety. There was a stampede as attendees fled the incident scene for their dear lives.

It was not immediately known why authors of the Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted the device near the grandstand in Nkambe.

However, prior to last Sunday’s ceremony, separatist fighters had called for boycott of the national event.

It was the first time since the start of the armed conflict in the Anglophone Regions that such an incident was being registered in Nkambe, hitherto considered the most peaceful and stable area in the restive North West Region and South West Regions.

Governor confirms casualty, says suspects arrested 

North West Governor, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique, confirmed the incident yesterday and said authors of the attack will be made to face the heavy arm of the law.

The senior civil administrator disclosed that three suspects have been arrested over the bomb explosion. 

He announced that security operatives are currently in search of other members of the terrorist group.

“We have mobilised security services to run after the assailants. Three of them have already been caught and they are under serious investigations,” the Governor told reporters.

Going by the governor: “The total number of victims of the attack is close to 40, amongst who, four are seriously wounded. One person has died”.

Biya condemns cowardly attack

Meanwhile, reacting to Sunday’s incident in Nkambe, via his Facebook page, President Biya has described the attack as a cowardly act.

Said he: “…the heinous act was committed by cowardly criminals, in Nkambe, North West Region, while young Cameroonians were celebrating the day dedicated to them…”

President Biya also wrote: “…I convey my sincere condolences to the family of Cherish Limnuyu, a 15-year-old student of GHS Nwangri. I equally wish a speedy recovery to the injured.” 

Women protest, Nkambe Palace issues ultimatum 

In what many have qualified as their strong attachment to peace and national unity, scores of women took to the streets of Nkambe yesterday, condemning the attack and demanding justice for victims of the barbaric act.

The women who marched through the streets of Nkambe, later converged on the palace of the traditional ruler of Nkambe. 

Addressing the irate women, the Spokesperson of the Nkambe Palace advised the women to remain calm. 

Speaking on behalf of the Fon of Nkambe, the Palace Spokesperson urged perpetrators of Sunday’s attack to make things right and confess their wrongdoings. The Palace Spokesman gave those involved in the macabre incident a seven-day ultimatum to publicly confess or face the wrath of the gods of the land. 

Enter Hon Ngala Gerard 

In a media outing shortly after Sunday’s incident in Nkambe, the Member of Parliament, MP for Nkambe Central Constituency, Hon Ngala Gerard, said the people of the area would not give in to threats from groups trying to jeopardise the peace that has existed in Nkambe, since the advent of the Anglophone crisis in 2016.

Hon Ngala Gerard, who was in attendance at the Nkambe grandstand when the incident erupted, called on the population of his constituency to remain vigilant, stating that security agencies are already at work to fish out perpetrators of the “barbaric attack”.

The lawmaker was speaking shortly after visiting the Nkambe Regional Hospital Annex, where most of the victims are receiving medical attention.

“We had a very successful celebration right to the end when an unfortunate situation occurred,” the politician stated.

“We condemn it with our last energy. It was a barbaric action. We are calling on all the sons and daughters of Nkambe to be calm and be more vigilant,” he advised.

Sounding optimistic, Hon Ngala Gerard disclosed that: “The SDO has taken dispositions…security services are doing their best to apprehend the perpetrators of this barbaric act”.

He insisted that: “The population shouldn’t give in to fear. I know that it is a difficult moment for us but I call on my people to be calm and vigilant. This is a wakeup call for us and we are going to be vigilant more than ever before”.

US condemns attack

The bomb attack at the Nkambe grandstand has since attracted widespread condemnation from within and without the country. 

In an outing, via the institution’s verified Facebook page on Monday February 12, the United States, US, Embassy in Yaounde, condemned the Nkambe deadly attack, stating that there isn’t any justification for such action.

The diplomatic body said it was condemning “in the strongest possible terms the horrific February 11, 2024, attack in Nkambe, North West Region, that killed at least one person and left dozens more seriously injured”.

“There is absolutely no justification for an attack against civilians, or children in particular,” the embassy stated, before extending condolences to the families of those killed while wishing “everyone who was injured a speedy recovery”.

Attack wicked, inhuman act

In a similar outing yesterday, the President-General of Nkambe Cultural and Development Association, NKACUDA, Capt. Chuyeh Mbunkur, condemned the attack, describing it as wicked and inhuman.

He recalled that: “On the 11th of February 11, 2024, there was an explosion, few metres from the centre of activities at the Nkambe Municipal Grandstand, as the population, including Nursery, Primary and Secondary School children were busy celebrating the 58th National Youth Day”.

He disclosed that many persons “were injured, in varying degrees, some very serious, who are currently receiving treatment at the Nkambe Regional Hospital Annex”.

“The Nkambe Cultural and Development Association-NKACUDA, including the population of Nkambe, vehemently condemn this wicked and inhuman act perpetrated by evil hands against the innocent and peace-loving people of Nkambe in particular and Donga Mantung Division in general,” he said.

He continued that: “We wish to reiterate here that Nkambe Central Subdivision, from the beginning of the socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions, had opted for a peaceful approach in seeking solutions to the crisis, as opposed to the use of violence and arms”.

“The Association hereby reminds the public that the people of Nkambe remain resolutely attached to this position of non-violence and would never lend support to any vicious move by anyone or group of persons who intend to inflict pain on its people or tarnish the image of Nkambe,” he stated.

WICUDA appeals for support

Taking the cue, the General President of Wimbum Cultural and Development Association, WICUDA; Rogers Nforgwei, in a statement, regretted the incident.

While noting that the explosion left many with life-threatening injuries, he immediately flagged off an appeal for support to succour victims of the bloody incident.

“The population of Nkambe needs urgent help of any kind-donation of blood, food, drinks, material, financial, psychological...,” the group said.

He added that: “We are making an appeal to both Wimbum and non Wimbum people of the Donga Mantung Division and beyond, to reach down deep into their hearts and come to the assistance of the victims of the heinous act”.

Attack calculated move to discredit Nkambe?

It makes meaning to restate the well-established fact that since the Anglophone crisis erupted in 2016, Nkambe Central Subdivision, until the February 11 explosion, was the only Subdivision in the entire North West and South West Regions, that never observed ghost towns or lockdowns for even one hour. 

Nkambe is the only Subdivision in the North West and South West Regions that has never observed Monday lockdowns, commonly referred to as ‘Kontri Sunday’. Monday ghost towns, instituted by separatists in 2016, is to this day, respected religiously by all the Subdivisions in the North West and South West Regions, except Nkambe Central Subdivision.

Schools in Nkambe Central Subdivision, have since the crisis started in 2016, never closed their doors for an hour, in respect of calls by separatists to boycott classes.

In like manner, businessmen in Nkambe Central Subdivision have never heed calls by separatists to close their shops, in respect of lockdowns or ‘Kontri Sundays’.

National days like the Youth Day, 20^th May, March 8 and Labour Day, have since 2016 that the crisis in the North West and South West Regions began, are always celebrated in Nkambe Central Subdivision with a huge turnout and without any incident.

So how come the February 11, 2024, explosion at the Nkambe grandstand?; many political watchers have been questioning.

Many, including those from other Divisions out of the North West Region, who spoke to this reporter, were vehement that the February 11 incident at the Nkambe grandstand “was the handiwork of sponsored Amba fighters from a neigbouring Division, to give Nkambe a bad name…unfortunately for them, President Biya and all those who matter in this country are fully aware that a typical Nkambe man is a respecter of Republican institutions, peace loving, patriotic and believes in a one and indivisible Cameroon”.  

Jakiri: Amba fighters seize grandstand…

The incident in Nkambe, Sunday, it should be said, wasn’t isolated. There were other incidents registered in parts of the North West Region, as locals thronged ceremonial grounds to celebrate Youth Day. 

In Jakiri, Bui Division of the North West Region, armed men, believed to be separatist fighters, are reported have seized the Jakiri grandstand, traditional venue of Youth Day celebration and other national events. 

However, it was gathered that by some strange happenstance, the Divisional Officer, DO, of Jakiri, in a well calculated move to outsmart the fighters, had moved the venue from the said grandstand to Government School Jakiri field. 

We gathered that the venue where this year’s Youth Day march past was staged, is surrounded by the DO’s residence, Gendarmerie Brigade and a police station. 

Though the armed men are said to have stormed the grandstand, the Youth Day event in Jakiri was celebrated without hitches.

As we took to press last night, videos surfaced on social media in which Amba fighters could be seen invading a church and a Mosque on Sunday morning February 11, forcing worshippers to return home.

The Amba fighters who spoke in pidgin English, are overheard saying: “We had announced that there shouldn’t be any movement today. Today is 11^th February. We had announced that people should stay at home but these are people in church. That is why we are here; everybody should go back and pray at home. We don’t want any movement today. There is war, yet you people are pretending as if nothing is happening. We don’t want any movements”.

Both incidents in Jakiri on February 11-invasion of church, Mosque and seizing of the grandstand by separatist fighters, lasted several minutes, without any military intervention!