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.
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