Bernard Okalia Bilai, the Governor of South West Region has claimed the Cameroon security forces acted with professionalism, following the ...
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Bernard Okalia Bilai, the Governor of South West Region has claimed the Cameroon security forces acted with professionalism, following the October 1 disturbances that caused deaths of civilians.
Below is a full interview he gave to the media.
Mr Governor, following the agitations recorded on 1st October, 2017, in both Anglophone Regions, what appraisal have you for the public in what concerns the South West?
Mr Governor, following the agitations recorded on 1st October, 2017, in both Anglophone Regions, what appraisal have you for the public in what concerns the South West?
In many localities, people came out to threaten the authorities and the institutions despite the sensitization carried out by administrative authorities, elite and traditional rulers. They were brandishing pieces of clothes calling flags from so-called "ambazonia."
In some localities like Mamfe, Kumba, the periphery of Buea, they really threatened the forces of law and order. It was 12 noon when they mounted an ambush at the Satom Bridge and they shot at the forces who were on patrol.
The forces reacted and two assailants lost their lives. Among the attackers who died was one Nigerian who was playing the role of a chief magician. Five were wounded. A Gendarme was also wounded. In Akwaya a fighter coming from Nigeria was declared to be a chief magician.
They threatened to invade the gendarmerie brigade of Akwaya shooting at the forces who reacted and one assailant died. In Kumba, they mounted an ambush and trapped the Company Commander felling trees to block the road.
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| Governor Bernard Bilai |
They threatened to invade the gendarmerie brigade of Akwaya shooting at the forces who reacted and one assailant died. In Kumba, they mounted an ambush and trapped the Company Commander felling trees to block the road.
They also put nails on the tar-road to burst the tires of the military vehicles and the patrol team found themselves in the ambush. The assailants opened fire at the forces wounding one gendarme, an "adjudant", seriously. The forces had no choice but to open fire in defence and one assailant died.
A similar attack happened in Bokwai, a periphery of Buea, where the Chief's palace was attacked, houses destroyed and they equally shot at the forces who came to intervene. In the exchange of fire, two assailants died. There was a lot of provocation in the South West.
In Kumba, the car of the Commander of the army battalion was attacked and it was shot at by assailants. In Tombel, they burnt the State Counsel's office to ashes and caused many other damages. So all that provocation ended with six deaths in the South West Region.
What message have you after these incidents?
What message have you after these incidents?
I want to congratulate the forces of law and order because they acted with a lot of professionalism. They never attacked. They reacted. The provocation was too much and they succeeded to avoid it.
I will like to seize the opportunity to thank the elite of the South West Region who came to sensitise the population to warn them against what the assailants were intending to do and what they ended up doing. I want the elite to continue to maintain sensitisation of the public.
I want to believe that those vandals are exposing their lives when they decide to attack the military people who are there to protect them, to protect the institutions, to protect our territory, and to protect society. If you attack the forces it means that you are going for suicide.
What message have you for the population of your Region?
What message have you for the population of your Region?
Concerning the situation, we really think that various leaders, family heads, political leaders, have a very important role to play to come and take control of their family members. This is because a lot of intoxication has been carried out on social media.
We should not expose ourselves to be killed because some people have hidden themselves somewhere abroad to create bloodshed for nothing in Cameroon. Those who want to discuss, to debate, the forum has been put in place by the Head of State.
At any time they are welcome to discuss but why is it that every time people are ready only to destroy and cause havoc?
I also want to thank the responsible press organs because the information they have been giving has not been to throw fuel on the fire but to calm the situation. In this Region, we are blessed today with many projects some of which are ongoing. Let us focus our attention to protect and continue with these projects because that is the future of the Region.
There were rumours that the Prefect of Menji escaped from assailants, how true is that?
The SDO of Menji is there in Menji working. If he escaped who will protect the population? What about the vigilante groups that you started encouraging in the area? They are permanent.
There were rumours that the Prefect of Menji escaped from assailants, how true is that?
The SDO of Menji is there in Menji working. If he escaped who will protect the population? What about the vigilante groups that you started encouraging in the area? They are permanent.
It is thanks to vigilante groups that we succeeded to stop some suspects of their actions. Some traditional rulers collaborated and we laid hands on the terrorists. - Online Sources
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