Editorial: Stop impunity in Tiko!.

A video in the social media showed the man, who claimed to be the Chief of ‘Boganjo village’ being paraded on the street.

Shortly after that, a soldier, notoriously known as Moja Moja, was also shown in another video harassing those suspected to have tortured Mr Mbua. 

Several other videos later emerged with Moja Moja asking the mob if the young men who had been well trashed took part in torturing the ‘Chief,’ and the mob yelled "yes".

Several pictures of young people circulated in social media, showing signs of torture and brutality reportedly by supporters of Mr Mbua.

The situation would have been a disastrous mayhem but for the timely intervention of the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, of Fako, Viang Mekala.

During his visit to the scene, accompanied by the Mayor of Tiko, where the bulldozer, which sparked the violence was working, the administrator explained that: "The first step towards development is a road. Where a road passes, development follows”.

Also speaking, Mayor Mesoso III, said the road project in question was under the jurisdiction of the Tiko municipal council. He refuted accusations that Mbua was the person bulldozing the road. 

"The bulldozer was from the council, and the project is being carried out by the Tiko municipal council," Mayor Mesoso III said.

The mayor's explanation raised more questions than answers. Why did the council not put a sign board to indicate that it was carrying out the project and the duration, as required by contract regulations? Did the council consult farmers whose palms and cocoa trees were being destroyed to ‘expand’ the road? Wasn't it the council's responsibility to pay for compensation where crops were to be destroyed?

Another sticky and cancerous question, which the population raised, especially in the Mutengene Whatsapp forum where some of our editors are members, is why the mayor should continue to say the scene was in “Bonganjo village," which the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, had long ruled that it didn't exist and so cannot have a Chief?

In a Prefectural fiat, dated Thursday March 14, 2024, the minister ordered the SDO to reinstate 15 traditional Chiefdoms in Fako, with eight in Buea, six in Limbe I and one in Tiko Subdivision.

The order was backed by a ministerial decision of July 28, 2023, which was extensively reported in the media.

In Tiko Subdivision, only the village of Tiko Douala was reinstated. So, which ‘Boganjo Village’ is the mayor saying exists in his municipality with Litaque Mbua as Chief?

The Prefectural Order stated that the rehabilitated Chiefdoms, which correspond to and cover the villages bearing the same names, shall henceforth enjoy administrative and legal existence on the basis of the existing order.

The order added that all the previous administrative instruments contrary to the provisions of the Prefectural Order were thereby abrogated.

The SDO then instructed Divisional Officers, DOs, of Buea, Limbe I and Tiko Subdivisions, to fully implement his Prefectural Order.

So, which is the Bonangjo Village the mayor is constructing a farm-to-market road to?

It is not the first time farmers who own farmers in the area have clashed with tugs, employed by land-grabbers.

Such clashes often lead to mob justices with xenophobic insensitivities while some unscrupulous people use them to settle personal scores.

According to some of the farmers, mostly non indigenes, their farms have existed for over 60 years and they are now being asked to show receipts by some unscrupulous indigenous land-grabbers.

This cannot be happening at a time the ruling CPDM government is preaching the doctrine of "living together".

At The Guardian Post, we do not support people who take the laws into their hands, be they soldiers, mayors, Chiefs or citizens of strong muscles, irrespective of the provocation.

But there must be justice, which has evidently been feeble, especially in the Chieftaincy and land-grabbing phenomenon in Fako Division.

That is why The Guardian Post is calling on the authorities to stop the impunity, especially where a man in uniform, notorious for promoting hate speeches against North Westerners, can travel from Buea to another Subdivision, arrest and torture people who are innocent until proven guilty.

As Justice Mekobe Sone said while opening the 2024 judicial year, “our fellow citizens, economic operators, businesses, national and foreign investors are thirsty for justice”. 

For justice to be achieved, impunity must stop and Tiko should be used as a case study. All those involved in the brutality and destruction of farmers’ crops in the municipality should be brought to face the excruciating sword of justice.