By Wilson Musa
Some Six individuals, including the Divisional Officer (DO) of Bamenda II, Nkongho Manchang, were abducted while traveling to Nkambe. The incident occurred in Tuesday February 6, 2024, in Ntumbaw, Ndu subdivision in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, a region already grappling with security challenges due to separatist activities.
The convoy, which included the Divisional Officer of Bamenda II and five others, was en route to Nkambe, to take part in the installation ceremony of a new SDO, when they were intercepted by unidentified assailants.
The perpetrators, believed to be associated with separatist groups, forcefully abducted the individuals.
A security source told CNA that they only discovered the D.Os car abandoned on the road with no sign of him. The identities of the other victims besides the Divisional Officer have not been disclosed yet.
The motive behind the kidnapping remains unclear, though such incidents often involve demands for ransom or political leverage. He is the second
civil administrator to be kidnapped in the North West region since the crisis started in 2016.
The first was the former DO of Batibo subdivision, Namata Marcel, who was kidnapped by separatist fighters on February 11, 2018. He was later killed in captivity.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
This kidnapping adds to the ongoing security challenges in the Northwest Region, where separatist groups have been active for years, leading to clashes with security forces and causing displacement among civilians.
What happened?
The Governor of North West region Adolphe Lele had just installed the SDO of Boyo where he was transported via an helicopter.
While the governor was installing the SDO of Boyo, the helicopter took the others to Donga against tomorrow. So the helicopter came back with the governor Tuesday evening to fly to Donga tomorrow morning. Having no space to fly with the Governor, the DO who had also served in Belo, d
ecided to take the road to Nkambe central subdivision without security.
The SDO who was to be installed tomorrow is Gorges Malgloire Bassilekin, formerly secretary general at the North West Governor’s office who was recently promoted.
It’s suspected that the DO of Bamenda II, Nicolas Nkongho Manchang who has previously served in Donga Mantung as Assistant 1 wanted to extend his relationship ties with the SDO whom they have been together in Bamenda for about 4 years.
Source: Cameroon News Agency
WINDHOEK: Minister of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), Peya Mushelenga, has urged the public to disregard information circulating on social media regarding the mourning and funeral arrangements of the late President Hage Geingob.
Addressing the media here on Tuesday, Mushelenga said the ministry will be the focal information dissemination centre regarding all arrangements and activities for Geingob’s mourning period, leading to the funeral.
‘There are people who have a habit of saying apparently this and that about the funeral…if you have heard your things keep them to yourself. If you have not heard it from me and I have not heard it from the national preparatory committee…’ he said.
A national preparatory committee chaired by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was constituted by President Nangolo Mbumba to preside over the protocol on the funeral planning and sequence of events in consultation with the family.
Mushelenga further called upon the public to observe the period of mour
ning in harmony, noting that the government has requested organisations to keep their planned official ceremonies and gatherings at a minimum and in a dignified manner.
He further noted that public members and singing choirs willing to deliver a message should make their request through the executive director of MICT for further communication to the family for a final decision and dates.
Equally, regional governors planning to host any event in honour of Geingob must receive the directive from the national planning committee.
‘It is very important that during this time we remain calm as a nation. National mourning of the country is not different as we have it in most cultures, it means it is time to reflect, honour and respect the spirit of a departed one,’ he noted.
Geingob, 82, died on Sunday in Windhoek.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency