Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Minister of Communication has said a certain Alfred Dasi, “Member of Ambazonia and main leader of the “Liberation Movement of Southern Cameroon” five other citizens have been arrested in Mbengwi in possession of several military items.
Minister Tchiroma, in a press statement August 9, said the items seized from the suspects who he claimed admitted they are secessionists, include semi-automatic firearms, night vision devices with a telemeter laser, shooting goggles, a firing episcope equipped with amour plating, bipods and tripods for precision weapons, gun chargers for snipers, containers equipped with explosive charges, chemicals as explosive charges, detonator cords, explosive device switches, timers and other devices for the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices and firearms.”
Meanwhile, Cameroon Anglophones in the diaspora have objected the minister’s claims. They argue government is desperately in need of and is fabricating evidence to use against the closed to 100 Anglophones facing trial at the military tribunal in Yaounde. Some of them, in social media posts, predominantly on Facebook, say government is also using the “staged arrest” to justify its clampdown on Anglophones and remilitarisation of the North West and South West regions.
Below is the full statement by Minister Tchiroma:
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION
ARREST OF SEVERAL SUSPECTS AND DISCOVERY OF WEAPON CACHES IN MBENGWI
STATEMENT BY H.E. ISSA TCHIROMA BAKARY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATION
Yaoundé, 09 August 2017
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| Six Anglophones Arrested With Explosives Says Tchiroma |
They are DASI Alfred NGYAH alias “Sniper”; MBA-ABE Edwin DASI; TEFEH Collins TEGHE; FUH Luther CHE; NGWA Louis MONYONGA and Martha FORMENYAM.
The first exploitation of the detainees allowed to carry out a raid at the residence of Mr DASI Alfred NGYAH, prominently the head of the gang, where the police discovered several military items carefully arranged and concealed in a bunker by him.
Those items include semi-automatic firearms, night vision devices with a telemeter laser, shooting goggles, a firing episcope equipped with amour plating, bipods and tripods for precision weapons, gun chargers for snipers, containers equipped with explosive charges, chemicals as explosive charges, detonator cords, explosive device switches, timers and other devices for the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices and firearms.
The exploitation of a laptop which was also seized at the scene revealed the presence of electronic files containing information on the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices and a map unveiling the hidden units of the Southern Cameroon Liberation Movement.
The first results of the investigation currently under way indicate that the main suspect, Mr DASI Alfred NGYAH, resides in a foreign country of which he is also a national, although he is of Cameroonian origin. He admitted being a member of the Ambazonia and the main leader of the armed wing of the “Liberation Movement of Southern Cameroon”.
Questioned on the origin, belonging and destination of the military devices seized at his residence, the individual asserted to be the owner and declared that he had personally acquired them abroad, and then transferred them to Cameroon via a neighboring country.
Investigations carried out also made it possible to establish that Mr DASI Alfred NGYAH was the brain of the network previously identified as the perpetrator of the attack foiled in prelude to the celebration of the May 20, 2015 National Day in Bamenda. The suspect had then managed to escape and taken refuge abroad.
Returning to Cameroon, he was planning, along with members of his commando, to carry out attacks against the Defense and Security Forces, military officials and administrative authorities. At the time of his arrest on August 2 and 3, the network headed by Mr DASI Alfred NGYAH was preparing to attack a police checkpoint.
As it is, investigations are underway in the competent services.
Thank you for your kind attention.
