Officers of the 5th joint military and 5th Gendarmerie Region have been preaching the sermon of collaboration between the forces of law and order and the population
The message has been embraced by the population of Bifang, the biggest village in Widikum subdivision where separatist fighters have fallen to the drag net of the population
Two separate groups, one working between Numba and Widikum working under the command of Amba General John Bosco were intercepted by the population after raining terror at a bar
Guns seized by the population and handed to the company commander of Widikum
Allo Bertrand Ashu, Tengde Lucas and Blaise Mengue were apprehended by the population. They narrated how they were captured, Thursday September 3 in Bamenda
"We were recruited against our will to serve General John Bosco as cooks. One day they decided to take us out for a drink when we went to urinate, they added tramadol to our drinks. When we drank it, we started having a strange feeling" they said
Tengde Lucas further narrated that
The fighters asked the bar owner to provide them with a crate of beer. A bar owner could not and further cautioned them to stop the harassment around the village. In retaliation, they destroyed the bar, shattered bottles that angered the villagers who came to the rescue of the bar owner and in an attempt to make away, three of them were caught and send to the Gendarmerie brigade in Widikum
Suspected fighters picked up few days ago
Seven others successfully made away from the crowd, an incident that occurred three weeks ago
The 18, 16 and 21 year old all explained that they were recruited against their wish. Threatened that if they do not join, either their parents or siblings will be killed
Ekwena Alain, who worked under General CP of Widikum and two others were also picked up by the population less than four days ago. The fighter who has served in at least seven camps in the North West and South West Regions was pleased to finally stop committing atrocities after several attempts to escape
"I ran away from the Alabukam camp to Aka where a man brought in guns from neighbouring Nigeria and asked us to transport them to a certain Jean. On our way to deliver the guns, we were caught by the community and they took us to the Gendarmerie"
Dagha Taranus, 2nd Deputy Mayor
The move from the population, the second Deputy Mayor of Widikum, Dagha Taranus Mbun says is as a result of continues Education
"We as Elite have been talking to our people that Gendarmes are not enough to protect us. We need to protect ourselves. The message sunk deep in the fighters in Bifang who dropped their weapons and formed a vigilante group to protect the village. This angered other groups in other villages and they wanted to attack Bifang. They met a stiff population" he opined
The arrested fighters expressed a desire to be given a second chance, stating that they did not have anyone who could convey them to DDR Centres. Also threats from various groups made it uneasy for them to leave
The first set of fighters were mistaken to be killers of Comfort Tumassang, brutally killed in Muyuka three weeks ago.
Some of the arrested fighters accepted haven mounted road blocks along the Bamenda-Mamfe road while others declined their involvements in acts of terror, stating that they ended at the kitchen where they were given 1500Frs as allowances for a week
Colonel Boum Bissoue
North West Legion commander, Colonel Boum Bissoue saluted the Civil-Military Collaboration that is existing in Widikum, calling on other communities to follow so as to restore peace in the Region
The arrested fighters will begin undergoing trial at the Military tribunal in Bamenda in the days ahead, Col Boum said
According to the legion commander, they could not be taken to the DDR Centres because they didn't drop their arms voluntarily
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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