Five suspected separatist fighters have been killed and their kidnapping camp in Mforya, a locality in Bafut, Mezam Division in the restive North West region dislodged during an operation by defence and security forces in that part of the country early this Thursday August 19.
The disturbing rate at which suspected separatist fighters in Bamenda kidnap civilians and later ask for ransoms to secure their release lately pushed security forces to launch a manhunt against the kidnappers.
Reports say a tip off from a local took the over thirty Government forces to Mforya, a locality in Bafut, some 2.5 kilometres from mile 4 in Nkwen, Mezam Division of the North West region in search of a separatist kidnapping camp.
The forces led by Major Onana Conrad surprized the fighters at the camp at about 1am this Thursday August 19. Upon seeing them, the armed kidnappers are said to have opened fire on the soldiers.
The gun exchange reportedly left five of them dead. They have been identified with their usual nicknames as; Small Bible, Small pepper, Banki alias Ebube, Prince from Wum and Stone.
The Government forces then moved to the camp where they saw two women, one with a child less than a year old identified as Moufoua Giselle. Questioned by the army, she recounted the activities of the fighters.
"They stay here but they have a place about three kilometres from here where they kidnap and keep people. They're about thirty in number staying in different places here in Bafut and each of them have a gun…On one of my visits, I have seen them torture people, they also collect cars and bikes from people. This camp has been existing for more than one year…" Giselle told the soldiers.
The second Lady was shot around the abdomen during the gun exchange and was taken to the 5th region military hospital in Nkwen for medical attention.
Reports further say two people living close to the camp and suspected of complicity were arrested and taken away for questioning.
This is just one out of the many successful operations security forces have launched in parts of the restive North West region that has been hard-hit by the Anglophone crisis for close to five years now.
Ariane Foguem