Landmine Explosion Kills 8 Security Officers In Northwest Cameroon

 Eight security officers, including five police officers and three gendarmes died on Saturday, Nov. 13, when the police van in which they were travelling hit an improvised explosive device in Matazen, not far away from Santa in the Northwest region. 

Local security sources gave the names of the dead policemen as 2nd grade Inspector Numfor, 1st grade Inspector Ahanda, 2nd grade peace officers Godlove and Tsodap, and 1st grade peace officer Fomen.

The names of the three gendarmes who died in the explosion could not be immediately ascertained as of the time of filing this report. 

Although the government is yet to make a statement about the incident, eyewitness accounts say the explosive was planted by Anglophone separatists.

A security cordon was immediately erected by the army around the scene and a systematic search for the perpetrators of the attack has been ongoing.

The latest attack comes on the heels of the death on Friday, Nov. 12,  of an eight-year-old school girl identified as Tataw Brandy, who was hit by a stray bullet fired by a police officer at a motorist who was alleged to have been fleeing from police control.

The girl was on her way home from school.

According to a communique by Mbarga Nguele, the Delegate General for National Security, the police officer whose name was given as Alain Fagha opened fire on the vehicle driven by Goodluck Ngum with a view to forcing him to stop from fleeing.

“The Delegate General for National Security profoundly regrets this tragic incident and addresses his condolences to the bereaved family,” the communique read in part.

Unconfirmed reports say the Matazen attack was in retaliation for the killing of the little girl but no group has claimed responsibility for the landmine explosion.