Yaoundé, July 20: Seven tourists were kidnapped late Saturday night in Cameroon’s Northwest region. Security sources confirmed the incident on Sunday.
The victims were traveling from Bafoussam, the capital of the West region, to Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest region. Armed individuals intercepted their vehicle and abducted the passengers.
According to the news agency Xinhua, family members reported to local media that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom for the release of the tourists.
Kidnappings for ransom are common in the Northwest region, where separatist groups are engaged in conflict with government security forces over demands for an independent state.
Police indicate that armed groups often target travelers in this area, suspected to be linked to separatist fighters.
Last month, around 12 individuals were also kidnapped in the Northwest region, including 10 passengers from a bus. Local residents and security sources noted that this incident occurred in an area plagued by ongoing separatist violence.
The bus had departed from the Ndop area and was en route to Bamenda when armed individuals stopped it. A security officer from the region informed Xinhua, “Separatist militants stopped the bus in the Subga area and abducted 10 passengers, including the driver. Two witnesses were also taken. They were all led into the jungle, where a large ransom was demanded.”
Local authorities have since halted traffic on this highway and initiated a search operation to rescue the hostages.
In December, eight passengers were kidnapped from another bus in the Northwest region. This bus was traveling from Bamenda to the town of Kumbo when armed individuals intercepted it. A regional security officer told Xinhua, “Separatist militants abducted passengers from the bus passing through the Bamesing area. They took them into the jungle and demanded a large ransom. We received information about this incident late Thursday night.”
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