The Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, has confirmed the death of Mr. Ashu Priestley Ojong, Mayor of Mamfe in Manyu Division, SW region.
He made the confirmation in a Press Release on Monday, May 11.
According to Southwest Chief Executive Officer, 35-year-old Ojong was ‘killed in cool blood after being ambushed by a group of Secessionist terrorists in the morning of Sunday May 10, 2020’.
During the attack at Eshobi, some 8km from Mamfe town, “he received a bullet on the head fired by the enemy using an automatic weapon of the AK47 brand and died on the spot.”
“Two other elements of the defence forces who were escorting the Mayor were all severely wounded and immediately rushed to the Mamfe District hospital for emergency medical assistance,” the Governor added.
Mr. Okalia clarified further, adding that, the young and dynamic civil authority was rushing to attend a meeting in Eshobi, contrary to reports that he was heading to meet with repentant “Amba” and another that he was embarking on a humanitarian mission.
While extending condolences to the bereaved family, he stressed on government’s firm determination to guarantee the protection of the population and their property.
Political, religious, traditional and opinion leaders were also urged to hype efforts to bring out the separatist rebels from their hideouts.
Meanwhile, the gruesome killing of Mayor Ojong has provoked an outright condemnation by some political party leaders and civil society activists.
Bar. Agbor Nkongho Felix, Human Rights Lawyer and founder of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA), twitted “I strongly condemns the killing of Ashu Priestley OJONG; Mayor of Mamfe in Manyu Division, SW Region of Cameroon. The young and dynamic Mayor was killed by fighters of one of the Non State Armed Group.”
He also appealed on all parties of the conflict to respect the Geneva Conventions.
On her part, Kah Wallah, leader of the movement, Stand Up for Cameroon and the Cameroon People’s Party (CPP) reiterated her initial appeal at the start of Covid-19 in the country; “We called for ceasefire for all sides to focus on fighting the virus. Belligerents decided to continue. Today population is faced with soldiers on left, fighters on right and virus looming over all”.
Meanwhile, 2018 Presidential candidate for PURS party, Serge Espoir has expressed his wish for an independent investigation on the killing like that of the Ngarbuh massacre to be opened.
“Separatists’ violence and abuse regrettably show no sign of slowing, restricting an already limited humanitarian space and hindering the response to Covid19 pandemic. Preventive measures cannot be implemented when violence’s rife,” Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch in Cameroon advised.
Manyu and Lebialem divisions in the Southwest Region, are amongst the strongholds of independent combatants in Anglophone Cameroon as the armed conflict continue to deepen over 3years on.
By Macwalter Njapteh
