Obala - 25/04/2019 Facebook
Violent clashes have erupted between indigenes and settlers from the Northern Regions in Obala, Lekié Division of Cameroon’s Centre Region Thursday, April 25, 2019. Authorities say one person died in the unfortunate incident, while 12 others sustained injuries of varied degrees.
Patrick Simou Kamsu, Senior Divisional Officer for Lekié Division tells Cameroon-Info.net that the situation has been brought under control and calm now reigns in the town of Obala. He was speaking at the end of a visit to Obala after news of the violent confrontations reached him.
A local told Cameroon-Info.net that two teenagers – one from Obala and the other from the Northern regions had on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 engaged in a discussion concerning a young girl in the neighbourhood. The discussions would later turn into a quarrel, with the young Northerner knifing his Obala companion.
The relatives of the seriously injured Obala resident are said to have gone in search of the author of the attack, unfortunately killing him (the Northerner) in the process.
“Today, men from the Northern part of the country went out to bury the young man killed yesterday. On their way back from the cemetery, some of them headed towards a village. They moved from door-to-door beating up old women. This angered the natives (Obala indigenes) who went out and erected barricades, obstructed traffic and beat up the intruders,” a local told Cameroon-Info.net.
The Chief Executive Officer of Lekié insists that calm has been restored. “Peace has returned to the town of Obala. The clashes have stopped,” he reassures.
“It all started following the murder of a young man after a conflict. His community unfortunately stood up and proceeded to destroy the property of the other community. As a result, the Divisional Officer (DO) led his collaborators and law enforcement officers to the area to restore calm. Unfortunately, some extremists of the other group resumed provocative activities towards the indigenes. This again led to fresh confrontations today. Their actions were limited to a few areas and groups of individuals. It was not a generalized situation per se,” Patrick Simou Kamsu said.
He went on to confirm that one person died (the young man from the Northern part of the country) and 12 others were wounded in the clashes. Despite the calm that now reigns, locals complain of increasing attacks from Northerners. Many hope measures will be taken by the competent authorities to guarantee lasting peace.
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