WUM MILITARIZED AFTER ATTACK ON ARMY CAMP, ‘KILLER’ SOLDIER DETAINED

The town of Wum in Menchum Division in North West Region, Cameroon, has been militarized, a day after angry locals attacked a military camp, destroying guns and other equipment.

WE ARE STILL IN CONTROL 

The locals were protesting over the killing of one of theirs, a bike rider, on Sunday January 24 by a soldier over what many witnesses describe as a ‘battle over a woman.’

Four truckloads of soldiers left the NW regional headquarters of Bamenda for Wum early today 25^th January 2016 for reinforcement. The commander of the 2^nd Military combined Region (that controls the NW, SW and Littoral Regions) General Sali Mohamadou also left for Wum from Douala to supervise the operation and restore law and order.

GEN SALI MOHAMADOU

The deployed soldiers according to concordant military sources will stay in Wum till after the burial of the murdered bike man.

MUCH DESTRUCTION

The heavy deployment of troops follows the burning down of part of the military camp in Wum. “Three houses at the camp and the 'poste de police' were burnt down. Two Land cruiser pick-ups were set ablaze and the windscreen of three military trucks shattered. 

At least 50 military guns and computers were burnt and not carried away.  The locals also destroyed temporal makeshift structures along the major roads in Wum where much barricades were mounted,” explained a top security source.

WOUNDED, ARRESTS  

Other administrative sources also said four soldiers sustained injuries including some unidentified number of locals. “The wounded soldiers are receiving treatment at the military health center at Up Station in Bamenda.  Two of them were badly beaten by the angry mob. Scores of others sustained injuries in the protests and stampede that ensured,” narrated our source.

LOCATING WUM TOWN

At the time of filing in this report four locals who are said to have spearheaded the protest and arson had been arrested including the soldier who is said to be at the origin of the incident. 

“The ‘killer’ soldier who we popular refer to here (in Wum) as Chef Alpha, has been arrested and is being detained at the military head office in Bamenda.

 He is due to face severe disciplinary sanctions as the matter is due to be investigated,” another source said. The source did not rule out imprisonment and his dismissal from the corps. 

Other soldiers said the suspected ‘killer’ soldier who is under arrest has very doubtful moral records. He is said to have had been dismissed from the presidential guards before been redeployed.

PRECARIOUS CALM

CORPSE OF DECEASED BEING PARADED 

As at Monday January 25, relative calm had returned to Wum following a meeting between administrative officials, soldiers and representatives of commercial motorcyclists. “Tension has completely died down and we are doing all to restore order,” the mayor of CPDM Wum run council, Dighabong Anthony said.

The Secretary General of the NW Region, Monono Woloa, The SDF Chairman Ni John Fru Ndi all stepped into Wum town to sue for peace. Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo has ordered for investigations.

Tension and violence escalated in Wum, Sunday January 24 after a commercial motorcyclist was reportedly murdered by a soldier who sought refuge thereafter at Wum military camp.  The deceased was identified as Ngong Leonard.