URGENT : FON CHAFFAH’S SON SHOT...FIVE WOUNDED AFTER CLASH AT BANGOLAN PALACE*

At least five people are reported to have sustained bullet wounds, following a clash between palace guards and angry villagers in Bangolan, a village in Babessi Subdivision, Ngoketunjia Division, North West Region.

EARLIER VIOLENCE IN BANGOLAN

“My palace is under attack by some thugs from the village. We are trying to secure the palace. They have shot my son.

 I don’t have time to explain now,” Fon Chaffah XI of Bangolan said before hanging up. We are 9:00 PM Cameroon Time March 19 2016.

Gun shots have been heard late evening, March 19 , when angry villagers besieged the palace demanding the Fon to leave. Witnesses confirmed that apart from the yet to be identified Fon’s son, four other people sustained bullet wounds with no death reported. A stampede almost occurred when women of the traditional secret society, the Takumbeng came out in opposition to the Fon.

PROTEST AT NW GOVERNOR's OFFICE

At the time of filing in this report, security had been beefed up in the Babessi subdivision with a security source not ruling out reinforcement from Bamenda.

The tension between the Fon- cum Magistrate and the villagers dates months back in what was then described as a palace coup.

The Fon, Chaffah XI of Bangolan, was accused by his villagers for embracing ‘western religion and giving his life to Christ.’ They also want his head for reportedly setting on fire some artifacts, antiquities amongst others, which they said were the symbol of Bangolan tradition.

The angry locals had staged a sit in protest at the North West Governor’s office February 24 2016, and were instead told to return to the SDO for Ngoketunjia, Valery Kwela. The angry locals also demanded an end to arrests and torture form soldiers deployed to the area.

FON CHAFFAH XI :  GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME 

Although the Fon who is also alternate Senator, sued for peace at a February 27 2016 crisis meeting at the Babessi Council hall, the continuous detention of hundreds of youths by security forces

 is said to have provoked the clash at the Bangolan palace. At the time of filing in this report, the Bangolan palace was still under siege.

*With additional field reports from Hanson Nfor, Triyah Swebu and Jini Edmond (Reporters)

POST SCRIPT:

We stumbled on this Youtube piece in which the Fon gives a testimony of his encounter with Christ.

A must watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h0iQSgpXPo