Troubling Situation in Cameroon’s 12th BRIM: Cohabitation and Extramarital Affairs Impacting Soldiers

The issue, revealed in an official note dated November 20, highlights concerns about the negative effects of these actions on the soldiers' families and the broader brigade community.

Colonel Arsène Félicien Ndzana Fouda, acting on behalf of General Joseph Nouma, the commander of the 12th BRIM, addressed the situation, emphasizing the serious repercussions of these double lives. According to the note, many soldiers have been abandoning their wives and children in favor of maintaining parallel households, often with young women in the neighborhoods and villages where they are stationed.

The consequences of these relationships have been severe, with reports of some concubines tragically taking their own lives. This situation has raised alarm within the brigade, prompting Colonel Ndzana Fouda to issue directives to brigade commanders, urging them to take more responsibility in addressing the issue. Soldiers are now being called upon to reflect on their relationships with women in the surrounding areas, with the goal of preventing further incidents.

However, the note remains somewhat unclear on the specific course of action to be taken. It is not fully clear whether the intention is to supervise these extramarital relationships closely or to entirely prohibit them. What is certain is that the situation has prompted action from the top ranks of the brigade, with commanders now tasked with personally identifying and managing these risky situations. They are also instructed to report any concerning cases to their superiors.

The command's focus on the issue underlines the importance of maintaining discipline and safeguarding the well-being of soldiers' families. As the 12th BRIM moves forward, it is likely that greater efforts will be made to ensure that these relationships do not continue to have harmful effects on the unit and its personnel.