Suspected Activists Escape Custody Near Mbingo–Babanki During Transfer to Bamenda

 

                   The City of Bamenda 

By Abendon Pascal Heitz

Security forces in Cameroon’s conflict‑hit Northwest Region have launched a sweeping manhunt after several suspected activists escaped custody between Mbingo and Babanki in Tuba Subdivision on March 30, 2021 while being transferred to Bamenda 

According to security sources, the detainees were being transported to the Bamenda Central Prison following a military raid that took place early in Belo. The convoy reportedly became distracted when soldiers attempted to apprehend a group of young men violating the weekly “Ghost Town Day” shutdown. Amid the confusion, several suspects leapt from the transport truck and fled into the surrounding forest.

Authorities say the escapees may possess critical information related to an attack in Belo that left multiple security personnel dead. Police and gendarmerie units have urged residents across the Northwest and Southwest regions to report any unfamiliar or suspicious individuals.

The escape comes against the backdrop of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, now in its fifth year. Activities linked to separatist movements remain outlawed in Cameroon, and individuals accused of supporting them are frequently prosecuted under the country’s anti‑terrorism legislation. Human rights groups report that tens of thousands of Anglophone civilians have been arrested since the conflict erupted in late 2016.

The crisis, which began as peaceful protests by teachers and lawyers demanding respect for the common‑law and Anglo‑Saxon educational systems, escalated sharply after government crackdowns, mass arrests, and internet shutdowns. As trust eroded, some activists formed self‑defense groups that later evolved into armed separatist militias collectively known as Ambazonia Fighters.

Separatist leaders argue that French‑speaking Cameroon violated the terms of the 1961 union that joined British Southern Cameroons with La République du Cameroun. The movement’s political leadership has remained in detention in Yaoundé for more than seven months.

The United Nations estimates that thousands of civilians have been killed since the conflict began, while more than 160,000 families have fled to neighboring Nigeria—many settling in the border city of Ikom, where several refugee deaths have been reported under unclear circumstances.

As security forces intensify their search for the escaped detainees, the incident underscores the continuing volatility of the Anglophone regions and the deepening humanitarian toll of the protracted conflict.