Contrary to reports that no fewer than 27 people were killed including pregnant women and children in a Valentine’s Day attack in Ngarbuh, the army says only 12 people died – seven armed separatists and five civilians.

In two separate communiqués signed by army spokesman Colonel Cyrille Atonfack Guemo and Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo, government says the civilian deaths were the result of an “unfortunate accident” which happened when fuel exploded in an exchange of gunfire with separatists in the area.

Minister Beti Assomo said defense and security forces indeed carried out an operation in the area in a bid to dislodge a “separatist arms and logistics base”. He says in an attack that ensued, “seven terrorists and bandits” were killed.

Assomo says given that the separatist base was lodged in a civilian environment, a woman and four children died when fuel exploded in an exchange of gunfire with separatists in the area.

Beti Assomo Joseph says the photos depicting scores of deaths is the handiwork of “secessionist terrorist propaganda”. He argues that pictures of separatists killed in Mezam Division in 2019 are now being brandished as those from Ngarbuh.

He went on to hail the professionalism of Cameroon’s security and defense forces before warning that “the Ministry of Defense reserves the right to drag authors of fake news before competent courts in keeping with relevant provisions of the law.”

Agbor Balla reacts

Shortly after the army position on the Ngarbuh incident went viral, Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor Anyior alias Agbor Balla, President/Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA, took to Facebook to demands for an independent commission of inquiry into the case.

His words: “I just read the reaction of the Ministry of Defense on the Ngarbuh Massacre. My recommendation is that, In order to lay this matter to rest, an independent Commission of Inquiry should be set up to investigate the killings. The Commission should include members of the civil society, clergy and government. The Commission should be headed by a clergy of impeccable character.”

The human rights lawyer had earlier on called for an end to the “culture of impunity”.

Hear him: “The death toll from the massacre in Ngarbuh-Ntubaw in Cameroon has risen to 32 with some children and pregnant women still missing. The military officers responsible for these heinous crimes must be brought to justice. These crimes clearly amount to crimes against humanity. The culture of impunity must stop. No to Impunity and Yes to Accountability.”