Protecting the nation's capital: Some 400 vigilante groups to be created in Yaounde

Some 400 vigilante groups will be created in Mfoundi division of the centre region. The decision was made public by the Senior Division officer for Mfoundi, Jean Claude Tsila shortly after the governors’ conference in Yaoundé that focused on security measures ahead of end of year festivities. A move that has been condemned by the Cameroon Concord Group of newspapers. 

Prior to the announcement, some groups of Yaoundé volunteers had organised themselves to keep watch over their communities in line with a funny and dangerous CPDM concept, '"security for the population, by the population, with the population"". In Yaoundé’s Briketerie neighbourhood, about 30 volunteers mostly school dropouts are closely supervised by the third class chief of Ekoudou III, Aboubakar Elhadj Nabaniau. He said the Divisional officer for Yaoundé II encourages their effort in ensuring security in their community.

At night fall, the coordinator of the vigilante group, Mahaman Ngambou, a notable of Ekoudou III hands out instructions to his troop, armed with whistles. He reminds them to keep watch and report any suspicious moves to the police. Some of the youths are in uniform while others are not. The coordinator noted that it is intended to facilitated surveillance especially at night. He said the boys have been organised to work in three groups, morning afternoon and night in order to keep watch over business and homes in the locality. The third class chief of Ekoudou III, Aboubakar Elhadj Nabaniau said the youths have been educated to understand that the exercise is first a foremost to secure their own homes and relatives.

A few kilometres away, in Madagascar another neighbourhood of Yaoundé, the tradition ruler of Mesakwaba in Mvog Tsungui Mballa Clan said the vigilante committee is not yet fully operational on the field but they have put in place a strategy of intelligence gathering. Government sources have revealed that the 400 vigilante groups to be set up in Mfoundi division will boost the actions of our security force that are already keeping watch over Yaoundé.