US-based Ambazonian activists indicted for financing violence in Cameroon

The accused

According to a federal grand jury in Minneapolis, Benedict Nwana Kuah, 51, and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, 52, both naturalized U.S. citizens, face eight counts including conspiracy to kill and maim abroad, conspiracy to provide material support, and money laundering. Prosecutors allege the two men are senior leaders of the self-styled Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF). Kuah is described as chairman of the group’s War Council, while Wongbi headed logistics and human resources.

Alleged crimes

Investigators say the pair used the United States as a base to coordinate and fund violent attacks in Cameroon, including kidnappings of officials, IED bombings of civilian gatherings, and targeted killings of suspected “collaborators.” They allegedly financed “Operation Rattlesnake,” an attempt to assassinate the North West governor, as well as the 2023 bombing at the Mount Cameroon Race for Hope and the 2024 Youth Day attack in Nkambe that killed a teenage girl and injured dozens of children.

Prosecutors speak out

“Minnesota is not a launchpad for overseas violence,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said, accusing the men of “ordering kidnappings, bombings and murders from the comfort of their living rooms.” The FBI described the case as proof that those using U.S. soil to spread terror abroad would face justice.

Impact on Cameroon conflict

The indictment underscores Washington’s growing willingness to prosecute diaspora leaders accused of fueling the six-year war in Southern Cameroons. Cameroonian authorities have long accused separatist groups of receiving funding and direction from abroad. More than 6,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since 2017 as the conflict continues without a political settlement.

Follow ongoing updates on the crisis in the Southern Cameroons section.