Denizens of Bamenda especially those who have
to cross mille III, Farmers House before going to their respective homes at
night are worried over what some describe as open extortion, intimidation and banditry
by some elements of the forces of law and order.
According to eyewitness account,
these uncouth elements of the police armed with pistols, whistles and flash
lights start their checks of vehicles around Farmers’ House as early as 8pm.
Their mission is not just to control check car documents and congestion in the
vehicle, but to check the National Identity Cards in order to extort money from
“defaulters.” They do not accept any other identification apart from the
National Identity Card at that hour.
Most of them who have chosen to
speak only in French, the command Language, make remarks like “c’est peut etre
les Boko Haram, Tue es Boko Haram, eh toi la, Boko Haram” to terrorize and
chicken out defaulters to drain the content of their wallet into theirs. Those
who do not have money at times are made to sit down for hours until they pay
their way. Either they are forced to make calls for family members to come
rescue or they are taken away to unknown ends. This is because often, these
elements never indicate from which police station they are from.
A woman whose names this reporter is
withholding for safety reasons recounted her ordeal with them at Mile three
close to a popular bar. They made close to five of them sit with them for close
to two hours because they had nothing to give. Hear her, “They made us sit in
that bar for close to two hours. Those who had money on them paid their way and
left. I had to call my child to bring my ID card and the last FCFA ten thousand
I had at home for their food and I used it to pay for the five of us. When I
showed them the ID, it did not mean anything to them. They did not want to see
and insisted we pay else they will detain us. Some people before us bought
their freedom for FCFA 3000 each. I wonder whether one cannot forget anything
again.”
At this period of insecurity and the
havoc caused by Boko Haram and the SELECA rebels around the porous borders of
Cameroon, going without an Identity Card in the country could be very
dangerous. The police and other forces of law and order could easily under the awning
of these threats by Islamic fundamentalists cause exactions and extort money
from poor and innocent citizens who need peace and security more than ever
before.
What happened and is happening at
night in mile III, Farmers House has given room to some people to think that
these misguided elements of the police are just out to make ends meet during
this month of January considered by many as a difficult months. Some people
this reporter spoke to describe these uncouth security officers as “economic
Boko Harams”.
It suffices for a police man or woman
and accomplices to take his gadgets which comprise of a whistle, flash light and
a pistol, go out in the night, stop where they are potholes on the road and
harass innocent citizen to make money.
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