Bamenda: Taxis, Motorbikes Burnt as Punishment to Violators of Ghost Town

Tensions also abounded in some parts of the Northwest region where separatist fighters were reportedly in action.

According to sources, the fighters confiscated and burnt motorbikes and taxis that were in circulation while Bamenda and some other parts of the Northwest region, were observing a ghost town declared by Anglophone separatists.

TCR learnt that at least two taxis were burnt somewhere at Mile 6 Nkwen, Bamenda, and that the intervention of security operatives led to a standoff with the fighters.

Reports said the fighters later escaped into the bushes after causing untold economic damage to properties of violators of ghost town operations that are perpetrated by them (Separatists).

Ghost town operations have lately become very intense in most parts of the Northwest region and especially in Bamenda that is the economic hub of the region.

TCR learnt that even locals that resorted to serious farming on ghost town days, have shied away from that habit as reports said that some of them have been warned by separatist fighters, perpetrators of ghost town operations.

There was very little circulation of motorbikes and taxis in the early hours of the morning in Bamenda, and the circulation even grew more timid in the later hours of the morning after news had spread that some taxis had been set ablaze in Nkwen.

These incidents have caused untold panic in denizens of the troubled regions and there are even more fears that this could eventually lead to more intense ghost towns in the future, if the situation is not adequately handled by competent authorities.

Despite the tensions in both regions, the emergency humanitarian assistance plan announced by the government of Cameroon is expected to enter into force this week on the special orders of the head of state, Paul Biya.

Recall that Minister Paul Atanga Nji, heads the committee that is charged with the implementation of the plan in the crisis hit regions.

By Landzeh Verla