At simulation of hostage taking scene in Y’de: Special Operation Unit boss says ready to face threats, warns culprits.

The simulation exercise took place at a prominent shopping centre in Yaounde.

The GSO boss also warned culprits who intend to carry out such activities to perpetrate insecurity and destabilise the country’s peace of their doom.

The aim of the exercise was to demonstrate the might of the GSO, which specialises in counterterrorism and hostage rescue. 

It was also intended to raise awareness about the presence of an elite force which the population can count on to efficiently tackle threats which affect national security.

According to the GSO Commander, the simulation exercise was part of an intense training which the intervention unit underwent. He said the exercise demonstrated the readiness of the GSO in the face of surprise attacks.

“We should not be taken by surprise in case of an attack. We must be ready and have the right reflexes at all times. We have to cultivate these habits daily so that we do not become victims of the elements of surprise. It is an occasion to discourage those who would like to use this path. We are ready,” Commissioner Eloi Pigui Ngosso declared.

He added that: “It is an occasion to salute the contribution of the population because it could be a passer-by that could notice the presence of terrorists somewhere and needs to call the forces of law and order to intervene. It is the DGSN that has instructed us to stop these terrorists’ activities”.

The GSO chief indicated that the exercise only showcased the tactical aspect of an intervention. He revealed that the operation needed several requirements. 

Police Commissioner Ngosso disclosed that an operation like the one they did, requires the presence of several parties notably the media, the Regional Delegation of Health, firefighting brigade, a team from the Red Cross, a team from the General Delegation of National Security, DGSN, as well as others.

He mentioned that: “We didn’t bring all these aspects together. What we did here was to demonstrate the tactical aspect which saw an intervention and demining team”.

Revisiting the intervention  

According to the Commander of GSO Intervention and Protection Unit in Yaounde, Superintendent of Police Yannick Ngueyep, the intervention began with choosing a zone to engage. 

The team of about 20 officers armed-to-the-teeth, went on to secure the main entrance of the zone with the help of a drone which presented the general situation of the scene.

After that, the commander of the Unit gave the instruction for the intervention groups to get into the building and neutralise the terrorist. When they entered, they progressed in several groups using their tactical expertise.

As they moved forward, they discovered the explosive devices on the other side. This prompted the team to revisit their plans and two officers took charge of the explosive devices while the rest of the team continued to search for hostages and hunt down the terrorists.

The team was able to release five hostages and neutralised three terrorists. After this operation, the Demining Unit intervened and neutralised the explosive devices. After carefully bringing it out, they choose a secured place to safely detonate the explosives.