Cameroon: School principals kidnapped in Buea May 25

Event

Four heavily armed individuals, suspected Anglophone separatists, reportedly intercepted a public bus in Buea (Southwest region) on Friday, May 25, and kidnapped two school principals. The whereabouts of the victims remain unknown as of Monday, May 28.

Context

An uptick in kidnapping cases in the Anglophone area of Cameroon (Southwest and Northwest regions) has been reported in recent months. On average, at least one kidnapping case has been reported every week since October 2017, with many others likely going unreported. Officials, symbols of centralized government power, and foreigners are particularly targeted. 

On April 8, a former judge was kidnapped in the Southwest region before being released three days later. On March 19, Cameroonian security forces launched a military operation to free four hostages held by suspected separatist militants in the Southwest region. One kidnapped Tunisian national was found dead following the raid, while three other hostages - another Tunisian national and two Cameroonians - were freed.

More generally, tensions between the country's minority English-speaking community and national authorities remain high. The period since November 2016 has been marked by the closure of all English-speaking schools, strikes, unrest, and sporadic violence. These tensions have escalated considerably since October 2017, when secessionists unilaterally proclaimed independence in the region.

Advice

Individuals in Cameroon are advised to remain aware of the threat of kidnapping and to take adequate precautionary measures.

Due to ongoing sociopolitical violence, individuals in Southwest and Northwest regions are also advised to closely monitor the situation, obey all instructions issued by the local authorities (particularly curfews), and avoid protests or large gatherings due to the risk of associated violence.

On a separate note, some Western governments advise against travel to the Far North region as well as other areas bordering Nigeria, Chad, and the Central African Republic; travel to these areas should only be considered with appropriate security protocols in place.