Alleged Separatist Fighters Abduct Retired Police Officer

TCR has gathered that separatist fighters have abducted a retired police officer at his home in the Southwest region of Cameroon.

According to reports, the abduction happened on the night of Saturday, July 07, 2018 at about 9pm at the Fiango district in Kumba, capital of Meme division, South West Region.

Under the threat of firearms, Christophe Yankep, the retired police officer was taken under the helpless gaze of his wife and children.

“Dad was thrown into a car by people who came to arrest him. They left a number indicating that they can be reached through it. They also forbade us to contact the police. They threatened to burn us and set the house on fire if we tried to cooperate with the police,” said a member of the abducted man’s family.

He was then driven by his captors to an unknown destination.

In recent times, Kidnapping has reportedly been adopted as one of the modes of operation of separatists operating in the South West and North West, two regions of Cameroon plagued by a socio-political crisis for close to two years now.

There are reports that some hostages are released after payment of ransoms, and that others are simply murdered even without demand for a ransom.

This was the case with Chief Inspector Patrice Diguengue. He was kidnapped June 5, 2018 near Belo, a locality in the North West Region, and his lifeless body was found on June 26, 2018 with amputated genitals.

The family of Christophe Yanjep, have expressed fears for his life.

By a Correspondent