Buea: Newly installed battalion Commanders charged to maintain discipline, rigour.

The new commanders were installed by Colonel Enye'e Meka, Commander of the 21st Infantry Brigade.

They were installed on Monday, May 4, 2026. The two new battalion commanders will operate within the 21st Infantry Motorised Brigade in Buea. 

To succeed in the daunting tasks, he challenged them to uphold discipline, enhance operational readiness, and strengthen ties with civilian authorities amid ongoing security concerns in the North West and South West regions.

The ceremony saw Lieutenant Colonel Georges Stéphane Ze Bekale assuming command of the 21st Command and Support Battalion as its seventh commander. He succeeds Major Ayangma Dieudonné, who had led the unit since 2022. 

Similarly, Major Aboubakar Aladji Baba took over leadership of the 21st Motorized Infantry Battalion, replacing Major Koumenda Beyala Armand. 

They were appointed by Presidential Decree No. 0242/CAB/PR of March 31, 2026. In his address, Colonel Enye'e Meka expressed gratitude to the outgoing commanders for their dedicated service in defending their areas of responsibility. 

He wished them success in their future assignments. To the new appointees, Colonel Enye'e congratulated them on the trust placed by the high command.

“This trust is the result of the recognition of your qualities as officers. Be honoured and proud. However, far from boasting and resting on your laurels, this trust must be earned and strengthened daily,” he emphasized. 

The Brigade Commander highlighted the sensitive nature of the missions assigned to both units, particularly in Fako Division in particular and the South West Region in general. 

He instructed the new leaders to maintain strict discipline, sanction indiscipline without bias, reward excellence, and prioritize the training and maintenance of personnel and equipment.

A key focus of the speech was the broader security context in the region and the nation. Colonel Enye'e noted that the appointments come at a time when Cameroon is facing multifaceted threats, notably the crisis in the North West and South West regions. 

As a result, he called on the new commanders to foster a climate of security through close collaboration with administrative, religious, traditional authorities, and the population, while working in synergy with other security forces.

He further urged personnel of both battalions to extend full loyalty, respect, and commitment to their new leaders, stressing that collective success depends on “unity, discipline, and determination”.

The incoming military leaders pledged to serve the country and to defend the trust in them by the Commander-in-chief of the armed forces President Paul Biya and the high command of the army.

The new commanders

Lieutenant Colonel Georges Stéphane Ze Bekale, born on 11 Novemeber 1980, in Djoum, Dja and Lobo Division, brings extensive experience to the 21st Command and Support Battalion. 

After earning a Master's degree in Human and Organizational Management, he entered the prestigious Special Military School of Saint-Cyr in France in 2003, graduating in 2006 with the General Simon class.

His qualifications include advanced training in Special Forces at the Artillery Application School in Draguignan, France; Staff Officer certificates and diplomas from Yaoundé; a Special Forces Unit Commander diploma from Nanjing, China; and Higher Military Studies Certificate II from ESIG in Yaoundé. 

Previous roles include Head of B23 and Chief of Staff at RASS Nkongsamba, and Commander of the 41st BA in Kaélé.

Major Aboubakar Aladji Baba, born October 10, 1984, in Ngaoundéré, Vina Division, assumes command of the 21st Motorized Infantry Battalion. 

He holds a Master's degree in International Relations, Security, and Defense. He joined the Inter-Army Military Academy, EMIA in 2006 and graduated in 2009 with the 32nd class, “Army and Nation.”

His training encompasses Infantry Commando application in Thiès, Senegal, and staff college programs in Yaoundé and Nouakchott, Mauritania. He has served as Operational Officer of the 712th CIM, Commander of the 710th CAC at the 71st BIM in Ebolowa, Commander of the 332nd CIM in Tibati, and Commander of the 213th CIM and Head of B14 at the 21st BIM in Buea.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3782 of Thursday May 07, 2026