Thursday, November 14, 2024

Unveiling Tomorrow's Cameroon Through Today's News

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BAMENDA, Aug 30 – The mother of Ngala Gerald, a former conman who turned politician and is now a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nkambe Central constituency, has been kidnapped by unknown assailants, according to reports from Nkambe.

The abduction reportedly took place on the night of Monday, August 26, at the family’s residence in Bondu, Tabenken, a village in Nkambe, located in the Donga Mantung Division of Cameroon’s restive Northwest region. Local sources suggest that Ambazonia fighters, who are involved in the ongoing conflict in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, may be responsible for the kidnapping, although no group has claimed responsibility so far.

Ngala Gerald, a controversial figure due to his past involvement in criminal activities, including the "wash wash" trade—a fraudulent scheme commonly practiced in parts of Europe and Turkey—has since reinvented himself as a politician. After joining the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), he eventually secured his position as an MP for the Ndu/Nkambe constituency, allegedly through persistence and financial inducements.

As a Member of Parliament, Ngala Gerald has been an outspoken supporter of President Paul Biya, the 92-year-old leader who has ruled Cameroon for over four decades. Ngala has urged his constituents and fellow Cameroonians to continue to place their trust in President Biya's leadership despite the country's ongoing challenges, including the separatist conflict in the Anglophone regions.

The abduction of Ngala Gerald's mother adds to the growing list of kidnappings and violence in the Northwest and Southwest regions, where separatist fighters seeking independence for the self-declared state of Ambazonia have frequently targeted government officials, their families, and civilians.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the kidnapping, and the current whereabouts of Ngala Gerald's mother remain unknown. The incident underscores the persistent insecurity in the region, which has been gripped by conflict since 2017.