Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr. Dion Ngute Joseph represented the country’s Head of State, President Paul Biya at an official funeral in Kumba Thursday, November 5, 2020.

After the coffining of the remains at the mortuary of the Kumba District Hospital, an official funeral and inter-faith prayers in honor of the deceased took place at the Amusement Park in Kumba in the presence of the PM and other members of government, state dignitaries, lawmakers, traditional rulers, clergy and a thick crowd of mourners.

The PM laid a wreath from President Biya and his wife, Mrs. Chantal Biya. South West Governor, Okalia Bilai Bernard read the president’s condolence message.

“I learned with great sadness the horrific murder of seven students of the Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy in the town of Kumba. I condemn in the strongest possible terms this barbaric and cowardly crime against innocent children,” Biya wrote. “I have also instructed that appropriate measures be taken diligently to ensure that the perpetrator of these despicable acts are apprehended by our defense and security forces and brought to justice.”

The Head of Government then conveyed the President’s condolence message to the bereaved families shortly before the caskets were handed over for burial.

Francis Che Ambe, father of one of the victims of the school shooting thanked President Biya. “We sincerely thank God and the President of the Republic for standing behind us at this point – these difficult moments we are going through. We thank the entire government of Cameroon. We continue to count on you as we face these big challenges in our lives. May the souls of the little angels rest in the bosom of our Lord,” Che Ambe said.

Earlier on Thursday morning, the PM visited some hospitalized survivors of the attack. He presented gifts offered to them by First Lady Madam Chantal Biya.

PM Dion Ngute said: “The President of the Republic asked me to come here with the Governor of the South West region, along with many members of government to console the parents of the young students who were killed and to visit the injured in hospital.

“Madam Chantal Biya, our First Lady also sent gifts and assistance to those families. The President of the Republic, who is a father and a grandfather, is extremely saddened by what happened here and we are all, as parents, also touched by it. And he has asked me to come and give his solidarity to the people of Kumba, and the people of the South West and North West Regions who have been going through a lot of adversity throughout these years. We are hopeful that this will come to an end very soon. And in any case, the perpetrators of these hideous acts will be apprehended and brought to justice.”

Around noon on Saturday, October 24, 2020, gunmen attacked Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy Fiango, Kumba. State authorities say they opened fire on no fewer than 20 students, killed at least seven (six girls and a boy), and badly wounded about 13 others – ten girls and three boys.

The students killed include Nzakame Rhema (10 years), Nguemene Princess (11 years), Anangim Jenifer (11 years), Ngwane Renny Munge (12 years), Victory Ngamenyi Camibon (12 years), Scheygnia Cindi (14 years), and Che Thellma Nchangwi (15 years).

Cameroon authorities blame armed separatists for the attack.

State forces have been battling to dislodge armed separatists who pitched their tents in the North West and South West Regions since the current crisis transformed into an armed conflict in 2017.

Corporate demands by Common Law Lawyers and Anglophone Teachers led to protests in November 2016. The street demonstrations later morphed into ongoing running gun battles between state forces and armed separatist fighters in the predominantly English-speaking regions, leading to untold destruction of human lives, their habitats, and livelihoods.

Tit-for-tat killings have become part of daily lives in some parts of the English-speaking regions.