Inciting crimes against humanity in NW, SW: Judgement time for Ayaba cho.

Ayaba Cho, it should be said, is the leader of the dreaded separatist armed group, Ambazonia Defence Forces, ADF. It was Ayaba Cho, who through the ADF, introduced the use of arms in the Anglophone crisis. That was in 2017. 

Reports hold that the self-styled liberator was taken into detention Wednesday September 25. While the government is yet to issue a statement related to the reported arrest, media reports in Norway talks of the arrest of a man in his 50s, without specifying the person concern.

According to Norwegian media organ, Verdens Gang, VG, the person whom other authoritative sources confirmed is Ayaba Cho, was arrested on Tuesday September 24.

The same media organ indicated that the suspect was arrested, following a “planned operation” of the Criminal Investigation Division, CID, of the Norwegian Police.

The Norwegian CID is believed to have worked in close collaboration with the officers of the International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL.

VG further disclosed that the man behind bars, who dependable sources have attested is Ayaba Cho Lucas, “was arrested for incitement to commit a crime against humanity”.

The Norwegian media organ indicated that Ayaba Cho lives in Norway but is not a citizen of the European country. The report also indicated that he was remanded in custody “due to the risk of evidence being destroyed”.

The report further noted that Ayaba Cho “has been charged with Section 108, cf. Section 102, of the Criminal Code (of Norway): incitement to commit a crime against humanity in Cameroon”.

Morten Engesbak, counsel for Ayaba Cho, is quoted by VG as having disclosed that: “My client does not plead guilty and opposes remand in custody”.

VG further quotes Morten as having further explained that the charges against his client are incorrect. The lawyer also said those who arrested his client have limited knowledge of the crisis in the North West and South West Regions and Ayaba Cho’s role. 

His lawyer, the same media report holds, said Ayaba Cho is cooperative with Norwegian police to shed light on the case.

Besides maintaining that it is the first time a person has been indicted with a crime against humanity in Norway, VG quotes Anette Berger, a prosecutor at Norwegian CID, as having indicated that there is no room in the country for authors of crimes.

“Norway has an international responsibility to ensure that we are not a safe haven for people who commit war crimes or crimes against humanity,’ VG quoted Berger as having remarked.

But who is Ayaba Cho?

Born on August 25, 1972, Ayaba Cho Lucas, 52, studied at the University of Buea, UB but was dismissed for leading a protest against authorities over a reported increase in fees. This was in 1993. He hails from Mankon, Mezam Division, in the North West Region.

He later fled to Norway where he studied human rights and development at the country’s University of Life Sciences.

Ayaba Cho is the brain behind the separatist group, Ambazonia Governing Council, AGC and the armed group Ambazonia Defence Forces, ADF. The ADF, it must be said, has contributed to more than 80% of the atrocities in the North West and South West Regions.

Before creating these organisations in the wake of the Anglophone crisis, Ayaba who had long been into activism was Secretary General of the Southern Cameroons Youth League, SCYL. He is author of the book ‘Not Guilty: An African Refugee Experience’.

He unilaterally entered an into alliance with the virtual Ambazonia State and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB in Nigeria.  On April 9, 2021, Ayaba Cho and IPOB leader Nnamndi Kanu, staged a press outing announcing their alliance. 

The separatist leader is accused of being the brain behind several other armed groups operating in the two English-speaking Regions. 

In March 2022, he is said to have made a post on his now X handle formerly Twitter, taking responsibility for the attack on Government Bilingual High School, GBHS, Ekondo-Titi in Ndian Division of the South West Region. Several students and a tutor were killed in that attack.

Till date, the bands of several heavily armed groups on occasional rampage in especially parts of Mezam and Momo Divisions, are believed to be answerable to Ayaba Cho Lucas. 

The recent setting ablaze of cabs in Bamenda for not being painted in the separatist colours of blue and white, is also attributed to Ayaba Cho.  Ayaba Cho is also said to be the one who stopped the waste management company, HYSACAM, from working in Bamenda. 

He has in over eight years of the Anglophone crisis been uncompromising in his declarations about splitting the North West and South West Regions from the rest of Cameroon.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3241 of Thursday September 26, 2024