Road tragedies escalate challenges for Biya gov’t!.

Last Friday, according to government authorities, a fuel tanker from SONARA in Limbe, had brake failures in Likomba, Tiko, Fako Division in the South West Region. 

It ran into a coaster bus and an explosion spewed its deadly fire on nearby houses and vehicles.

A taxi that was directly behind carrying three children of the same family to school and the driver were charred beyond recognition while six others had the same fate to add to the number of deaths on the spot at eight.

Three others were taken to hospital, in nearby Mutengene, while 10 houses and eight vehicles were razed. Could the mishap had been avoided?

Yes! From Limbe to where the accident occurred, the vehicle had passed at least six control points with Routiers usually stationed round the clock in front of the Presbyterian Church, Tiko Road in Mutengene, with the key assignment being to check vehicle conditions.

But they are often seen inside a parked vehicle from where they flag down commercial drivers with a whistle, then drivers rush to them to "settle" while defective vehicles flood the roads.

Would the truck have crashed, if Routiers or other controls had checked its condition for roadworthiness as it used to be the case in the good old days of former West Cameroon?

Before last Friday’s Likomba tragedy that blocked traffic for over six hours; a day before, there had been high tension in Deido, Douala, after a motorcycle taxi driver was fatally shot and killed by the police during a nighttime traffic control.

His death sparked anger among his colleagues, who gathered en masse to denounce the circumstances and, in the process, also blocked traffic in the economic capital. 

Alerted by the rising tension, authorities dispatched anti-riot police units to secure the area to prevent any further unrest.

The two incidents occurred when truckers in Ngaoundere had halted operations earlier, demanding the release of arrested drivers, and an end to what they called "police and gendarmerie harassment" on the highway.

Their strike, which caused a major disruption on the strategic route of Ngaoundere-Meiganga that serves the southern parts of the country, Chad and the Central African Republic, was fueled by a standoff with authorities, after one of their colleagues was reportedly slapped at a checkpoint maned by gendarmes.

A nocturnal military operation in Meiganga had to be used to free the road that was blocked with parked trucks. In the process, various media reports pointed out that trucks were pushed into the bushes or off the road.

Some vehicles were damaged beyond repairs during the removal as videos circulating showed loaded trucks being dragged away to the roadsides. One of the divers sleeping in his truck, died when it was allegedly overturned.

His colleagues on discovering the collateral damage the next day went on another strike, demanding the release of those said to have been detained, and "an end to harassment, extortion, and frequent violations at checkpoints".

It should be noted that the Governor of Adamawa Region, had suspended two controversial checkpoints, but it was too late, too little to sooth the drivers' furious nerves.

The recent tragedies on our roads are just three too many that could have been avoided. They are constant threats that demand concrete reforms from public authorities, transport companies, and drivers' unions.

Two of the three incidents at checkpoints were reported to have been provoked by security operatives. There have been persistent allegations that the controls are predominantly to collect illicit levies from motorists. There are equally reports that there are hardly any cases in court emanating from those controls for traffic infringement.

If the numbers are limited to one entering and exiting each Subdivision, the number of confrontations would be limited.

For instance, what's the explanation that from Mutengene to Buea, five kilometres apart, there are usually seven checkpoints? How many road safety offenders do they send to court?

The rate of road accidents due to defective vehicles, dilapidated roads, overloading, congestions at checkpoints and excessive speeding by careless drivers is extremely high.

It should not be aggravated by security officials on checkpoints whose preponderant responsibility is to ensure the protection of human lives, not to load their pockets.

Given the perilous situation on the country's highways, there is the need for reforms which should include drastic reduction of the checkpoints to the very minimum, respect of the rights of road users, refresher causes for divers' unions and deterrent penalties for the bad eggs who perceive their uniforms as licence to harass road users. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3656 of Monday December 15, 2025