According to Franklin Ngoni Njie, General Manager of the CDC, the yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the home of the Rubber Factory Manager of Penda Mboko, Mungo Division of Cameroon’s Littoral Region at 1:00 a.m. Thursday, August 13, 2020.

“Unidentified armed men attacked the home of the Rubber Factory Manager of Penda Mboko, Mr. Ali-Malex Achalle,” said CDC’s General Manager in a statement this Friday. 

The assailants shot Agbor Mbi, a 16-year-old student who was reportedly writing the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examinations. He died on his way to the hospital in Mbanga. 

CDC’s General Manager said: “The house of the Factory Manager was set ablaze. His private vehicle and the Corporation’s Supervision vehicle were equally burnt down. The Factory Manager and three watchmen (Nkemasong Nicasius, Achou Roland, and Tawlan Peter, aged 48, 49 and 60 years respectively were kidnapped. As at press time, their whereabouts are unknown. The deceased student was a nephew to Mr. Agbor Samuel, a watchman in the Matouke Rubber project.”

He regrets that attacks of similar nature on CDC personnel, their dependents and property have been recurrent since the advent of the socio-political crisis rocking the South West and North West Regions.

Ngoni Njie went on to “strongly condemn this vicious attack on CDC personnel, their dependents and property.”

The incident has been reported to the Administration and the Forces of Law and Order for investigation, said CDC’s General Manager.

The CDC is among the hardest hit by the crisis rocking Cameroon’s English-speaking regions. The company has however assured the national and international public opinion that Government is taking measures to keep the company afloat.

A ‘Statement of Assurance’ from the management of the company states: “Conscious of the ongoing difficulties faced by the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) as a result of the current socio political unrest in the North West and South West Regions, acknowledging the fact that ten of our estates are almost entirely shut down, putting over five thousand jobs at risk, we wish to state that, being the sole owner of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), the State of Cameroon has duly been informed of the prevailing situation. 

“While waiting for the State to provide a lasting solution to the crisis, all workers of the Cameroon Development Corporation are enjoined to remain calm and forward looking, as management is doing all it takes to ensure that things unfold in their best interest. We are hopeful that the powers that be will do all that is necessary to keep the CDC afloat.”