Armed conflict in NW, SW: Fresh killings, abductions rubbishes gov't's claim of return to normalcy.

Abductions are still common across towns and cities while properties and businesses have remained targets of arson by Anglophone freedom fighters-turned oppressors. 

The situation has left pundits predicting that with the conflict just months away from hitting a decade, terrible incidents may continue to be recorded, if actions are not taken and urgently so to bring the conflict to a definite end.

Despite such expectations, hope for such a positive turnaround have dampened. Critics say with no major political action initiated towards ending the crisis, since the Apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV, in April this year, the country may continue to count its losses from the conflict as days roll on.

In recent days, several killings have been recorded across the two Anglophone Regions. 

Many of those killed were either minding their business at a social function when attacked or travelling when suspected separatist fighters surfaced and pulled the trigger directed at them.

Others have seen their end, especially gunmen, believed to be adherents to the separatist agenda, in clashes with defence and security forces. 

Cataloguing recent atrocities

Among the recent killings is that of Agbor Peter Agbor, a football referee. Gunmen are reported to have opened fire on him in Ajah Ayukndip village, Eyumojock, Manyu Division of the South West Region, on Sunday, July 26, 2026. 

Agbor had been hired to referee a match in an ongoing holiday tourney, when his killers surfaced and pulled the trigger, leaving him to drop dead.

The attackers are said to have arrived the pitch, 25 minutes into the game onboard motorcycles. Three other persons were taken into the wild, The Guardian Post gathered.

Same Sunday, a nursing teacher, Azanui Clifford, was shot to dead by suspected Amba fighters. He was said to be returning home after hanging out with friends at night when he was killed.

Meanwhile, on Friday, July 24, 2026, a Bamenda-based businessman, Ngong Clifford, was shot dead at Kedjum Ketinguh, on the Sabga hill, in Mezam Division of the North West Region. 

Sources hold that gunmen opened fire on a vehicle which had on board several passengers, killing Ngong and a 10-year-old.

Other accounts hold that at least 20 other passengers on board another vehicle were abducted into the wild. The gunmen are said to still holding the passengers in captive. We gathered they are demanding a huge ransom in exchange for their freedom. 

Killings were also reported in Manchok village, Oku Subdivision, Bui Division of the North West Region, on Wednesday, July 22. 

Security officers are also said to have carried out an operation in the community, neutralising suspected separatist fighters. They are said to have recovered weapons in the process.

The scene of another absurd happenstance was at Mile 4 Nkwen, in Bamenda. On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, gunmen are reported to have stormed the neighbourhood and abducted five persons. 

They reportedly fired into the air severally, injuring at least one person in the process, before escaping with those abducted on board motorcycles.

A day earlier, July 20, three other persons are also said to have been abducted in the Mile III Nkwen neighhourhood of Bamenda. 

On the same day, gunmen, whom locals said carried out the attack, set ablaze motorcycles and taxis before escaping. 

In Bai village, Mbonge Subdivision, Meme Division of the South West Region, security officers conducted a raid on July 20, 2026, killing popular separatist fighter, ‘General Lion’.

There is also the July 22, 2026 discovery of the corpse of a certain George in Babessi village in Ngokentunjia Division of the North West Region. 

George, we gathered, was abducted earlier but later found lifeless, after heavy gun battle between security forces and separatist fighters. 

Two other corpses, believed to be those of separatist fighters, are also said to have been later found at the area of the gun exchange.

On July 19, 2026, when the final of the World Cup was being played, another band of gunmen, still linked to the separatist movement, staged an attack in Bali Nyonga, Mezam Division of the North West Region. They killed a bar owner, Dobgima Elvis, 44. 

His killers are said to have been led by the self-styled General Mami of the separatist movement fame. 

After carrying out the attack, which also left two persons injured, the gunmen are said to have left the scene shouting: “Mission accomplished...”.

Added to the list of recent ugly incidents in the North West and South West Regions is the July 18, 2926 attack on a passenger bus on the Bamenda-Bafoussam highway. Gunmen who attacked the vehicle, sources said, abducted travelers and are demanding ransom from families.

Hours within the same day, a certain Linda Dafo, whom unconfirmed reports identified as a military nurse, was reportedly killed in Bamenda. 

In Kumbo, Bui Division of the North West Region, corpses are said to have been discovered with bullet wounds. Some of those identified, we gathered, were; Kolav Eric Mbiydzanuy and Nguvane Eric.

In Fako Division, South West Region, the long serving self-styled General Sagat, with real name, Tandu Lazarus, was killed Thursday, July 16, 2026. This was following a military operation.

Tandu, who was loyal to the Samuel Ikome Sako faction of the separatist movement, headed the Fako Mountain Lions band of fighters for several years, causing havoc across Fako Division.

Reacting to the killing, gunmen loyal to Tandu, abducted a certain Jojo, whom they accused of aiding security forces to locate and kill the separatist kingpin. On June 9, 2026, Lieutenant Wamba Momo Kaïnol, died around Wainama, Bui Division, after a military vehicle reportedly climbed on an Improvised Explosive Device, IED. The pattern of killings have been similar in the first six months of this year. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3861 of Tuesday July 28, 2026