Gang of Kidnappers in the Bome, Ngyen-Mbo Zone Still Dribbling Military Intelligence

The people of Bome,  Ngyen-Mbo zone of the Meta  clan in Mbengwi have been spending sleepless nights following the increase of cases of kidnaps in their area. There is a gang allerged to be specialised in this dubious activity that comes in from time to time, gets their victim, negotiate, get their ransom paid and then disappear.

At least two persons in Ngyen-Mbo have fallen victim and we learnt one paid  about 5 million francs to regain his freedom, money that was taken as a loan from the bank on condition that a percentage from his salary will be deducted monthly to repay the loan, a process that will go on for years before he gets free from this financial indebtedness.

One of the notables of Ngyen-Mbo had also lost some millions to the gang and last week, they stormed the Ka'ajik neighbourhood and got hold of a youth there. A man hunt was immediately launched by the vigilante group of the quarter but the kidnappers had swiftly taken off with their victim to somewhere towards Bossa. Negotiations were later done and he was released after some money changed hands.

Locals suspect that the gang leader should be a former separatist fighter of the area that was once arrested and jailed at the Bamenda central prison and later released. He is said to have relocated to somewhere out of the region but only sneaks in to get the targeted victim and negotiate for money then goes and spends it out of the region or even if he's not physically present, he masterminds some of the kidnap incidences from afar, directing his colleagues on how to go about it.

Security elements have not been able to get hold of this gang despite being on very high alert. Some critics have been questioning why a separatist fighter will be released from jail knowing fully well that like a dog, he will go back to his vomit and continue to reign havoc on commoners for as they say, you can take the monkey out of the bush but can't take the bush out of the monkey.

In thesame light, all attempts to pin down a couple of suspected separatist fighters that are said to be taking refuge in the outskirts of Bafut and then storming the Tondig zone of the Meta clan from time to time to also disturb social peace there are yet to yield fruits. In these two zones, any financially well to do person is a potential target to the kidnappers or fighters. Even business persons operating on a high capital in these zones aren't free.

Commoners wish military intelligence is heightened to nab them yet the criminals seem to have mastered the strategy of hit and run, making it difficult for them to be caught. Others think that based on past operations that have been successfully carried out in the highest of enclaved areas, the military is yet to really adopt it as a fully funded mission to go after these criminals, that if they mean it behind them, they'll get them. In the midst of the normal life many opine is reigning in Mbengwi, underneath, cases of insecurity still continue to occur, though minimal.

Economic Empowerment of Youth Groups in Mbengwi, the Success Story of Tobho Piggery Project

Mbengwi, the headquarters of Momo Division in the North West Region of Cameroon was speedily booming economically till early 2017 when the subdivision started feeling the negative impact of the Anglophone Crisis that broke out in late 2016 with the shutting down of  schools being one of the major strategy secession activists enforced to push through their agenda. 

The administrative structure of Government Technical High School Mbengwi in Njindom was torched same as multiple blocks in Government Primary School Guneku. Several other schools suffered from partial or completely arson at times by bushfires as a result of abandonment in the wild. Secondary and high schools plus teacher training colleges in the municipality that used to count thousands and hundreds of students were forced to shutdown. Teachers, pupils and students took to their heels. 

First Set of Piglets Harvested After Six Months

Hundreds relocated to localities in the other French speaking regions of the country. The rate of rural urban migration became alarming. All youth associations and other human groupings in Mbengwi seized to exist. The goal of everyone then was just to eat to see the next day because at every given second, anything could happen leading to loss of life. 

By the year 2022, the situation had greatly improved upon as the armed conflict de-escalated to a reasonable proportion. Many who had taken off started returning home gradually. The activists too had relaxed their initial stance of complete school boycott to allowing non government schools to function. The remaining youths that stayed back home probably due to having nowhere else to run to started reconstituting themselves and revamping their associations.

Throughout this crisis period, Meta sons and daughters out of home and abroad became more and more worried about the wellbeing of those back home. Several initiatives were launched to provide material, financial and psychosocial support to sufferers of the crisis in Mbengwi. While some of these yielded no fruits and rather caused more problems, others really stood out distinct and worth emulating. Such were those that aimed at empowering victims to fend for themselves rather than giving them food or money.

Second Set of Piglets Currently Being Fattened

The Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA) U.S.A branch became one of the leading groups of Meta children in the diaspora that relented no effort in reaching out to those back home. Multiple material and financial support schemes worth millions were realised in several parts of the clan by MECUDA USA. Amongst their various realisations was a piggery project to economically empower Tobho Youths Association. 

On Tuesday September 26th 2023, three piglets, 20 bags of feed were donated to Tobho youths. In addition a credit union account was also opened for them. Ten months have gone by and the success story of the Tohbo piggery project funded by MECUDA USA has been encouraging and worth continuing, this time around on a bigger scale. 

In April 2024, the first pig that had been fattened to maturity put to birth 8 piglets. Unfortunately 3 died and 5 survived. Some of the piglets are already being sold. Three months after precisely in July 2024, the second pig also put to birth 7 piglets and all are doing well. If not of an injury that that third pig sustained, it would've also been looking forth to putting to birth. The first pig is now pregnant for the second time. 

Therefore in every three months, the Tobho Youths Association will be having piglets for sale everything being equal. If they sell 10 piglets at 45.000F each, it means their account will be credited with 450.000F. If they deduct money for feeding, they'll still be left with a reasonable amount. They may also want to increase the fence and add the piglets they're fattening. This means a time will come when the youth association will be a major supplier of piglets in Mbengwi and beyond. 

Memorandum of Understanding Signed at the Beginning of the Project

The reach out to Tobho Youths by MECUDA U.S.A was done through the Mbengwi communal bureau of the Cameroon National Youth Council that acted as as a liaison between the funder and beneficiary. A Memorandum of Understanding was actually signed with one of its terms being that the beneficiary will give two piglets back to the donor for onward donation to another selected youth group that will be recommended by the youth council. 

The process is now on to identify the next beneficiary of this MECUDA USA agricultural empowerment program. Six youth groups, that is Munam youths, Barakwe youths, Kobenyang youths, Zem youths, Bessi Fomukong youths and Bedtime Melodies Fan Club have already indicated the desire to be the next beneficiary. Several aspects will be taken into consideration to finally chose one or two depending on the funds the donor association will have. 

At the time of the realisation of the project last year, Musoro Olive was president of MECUDA USA. Elections later took place at the end of her mandate and Tanwani Victor is now heading association. He sees the innitiative of economically empowering youth groups back home in the agricultural domain introduced by his predecessor as worth continuing and expanding. 

Symbolic Handing Over of 20 Bags of Feed and 3 Matured Piglets by CNYC Mbengwi President on Behalf of MECUDA USA to Tobho Youths Association President, September 2023

Handing Over of Credit Union Account Passbook by Treasurer of CNYC Mbengwi on Behalf of MECUDA USA to Financial Secretary of Tobho Youths, September 2023

The MECUDA USA annual convention will soon be coming up and it's certain members will see need to raise more funds and send home for the financing of such income generating projects based on the success story the first one has been recording. The Cameroon National Youth Council has already been asked to table it's proposal in the form of a project as was done before Tobho Youths Association to see who's next.