…As elder sister’s family escapes military assault
A Cameroonian residing in Nigeria has lamented the terrifying rate of insecurity in his home country where dissenters have been up in arms against the government of President Paul Biya.
According to Neba Chungong, who fled to Nigeria couple of years ago over safety concerns, his worry became pertinent following the recent invasion of his elder sister’s home by unknown gunmen who dressed in military uniform.
Neba told journalists in Lagos on Wednesday that fortunately his sister, Mrs. Florence Neh Neba Epse Nji, and her family members were not at home when the men stormed their Alabukom-Mankon residence in the North West Region.
He stressed that constant threats to his family members in the past, due to political affiliation of their late parents to opposition party, forced them to flee the country, particularly since the military escalated attacks on members of Ambazonian group who have been fighting for secession.
Tension had recently increased in the separatist movement-based North West and South West regions that are the two English-speaking main headquarters of the alleged freedom fighters.
He stated that the unknown gunmen who were angered by the absence of their target, ransacked, scattered the items in sight, drank wines found within the residence, while they went away with some valuable equipment worth millions of naira.
“Just like the insecurity currently going on in Nigeria, the same thing is happening in my country, Cameroun,” he explained, adding: “Recently, my sister and her family members, too, narrowly escaped attack by unknown gunmen who invaded their home in Alabukom village.”
“You only need to watch the video to know the extent of damage after breaking into the house. Definitely, the invasion was meant to maim and kill the occupants of the house, pure and simple. But we are grateful no one was at home,” the visibly angry Neba maintained.
The worried former teacher added: “Think of what would have happened had these men found the family members at home? Your guess is as good as mine.”
The ex-teacher expressed appreciation to God that while his sister had earlier fled the country too, the husband and children had not visited the residence lately.
Neba added that the suspected assassin who dressed in military camouflage also threatened to come back again for the family.
He said: “Unfortunately for them, no one was at home. Neighbours, however, overheard them saying that they would come back for the family, and would vandalise the house if no one is found.”
“Indeed, this insecurity situation in my home country is scary and I am not happy about it at all. And unfortunately, Nigeria is also witnessing almost the same scenario of series of attacks and disruption of lives and properties,” the businessman lamented.
Neba also said that according to close neighbours, who feared confronting the attackers during the invasion, the gunmen claimed that his brother in-law and his family could not be living well while others were fighting the separatists, who alleged unfair treatment of Anglophone regions, and demand for a different country.
He stressed: “They heard them saying that my sister’s family members could not be living well in the crisis-ravaged North West at the time others were facing the Ambazonian guys who took up arms against the President Paul Biya administration demanding independence.”
He, however, expressed optimism that governments in the two countries would take appropriate measures to give confidence to the people and ensure adequate security of lives and properties, both in Nigeria and Cameroon.
