Government, last Friday, Dec. 08, paid nation’s last respect to the six fallen defence and security officials killed in separate attacks in the South West Region.

There couldn’t have been any better way of expressing the shock and sympathy that surrounded the official funeral ceremony organised last Friday, December, 08 at the Buea Bongo Square ceremonial ground to pay the last respect to the six military and police officers killed in Manyu Division of the South West Region last November, than the soothing condolence letter of the Head of State, read by the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux.

Presided at by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of  Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, accompanied by the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguele, the four soldiers were posthumously honoured with Medals of Valour with merit of Armed Forces while the two police inspectors received Medals of Valour with merit of National Security.

The four fallen soldiers include: Master Sergeant, Tih Julius Angu, Lance Corporal, Voula Voula Victor, Private Second Class, Yinda Dobekreo, and Private Second Class, Noutchomwo Many Raphael Willy while the two police officers are: Senior Police Inspectors, Nkwelle Derrick and Ngwa Calvin Ngang.

The six fallen military and security officials were killed in two separate attacks in the localities of Agborkem German and Otu by secessionists on the nights of November 28 breaking 29, 2017  and November 29 breaking 30, respectively in Manyu Division of the South West Region. Minister Beti Assomo who opened his speech with the quote  of the declaration of the Head of State, President Paul Biya recently at the Nsimalen International Airport which stated inter alia that measures have been taken to scale down the activities of separatists, on his part, said the Republic and its people have the responsibility to respond to all attacks.

They have the obligation to defend their territorial integrity not only in the North West and South West Regions but in all the ten regions of the Republic. He reiterated the commitment of the Head of State to defend the population of the North West and South West Regions, assuring that this will continue until the terrorist group is terminated. 

While revealing that the hideout of the separatists has been identified as well as their funding sources, Beti Assomo said, the support of the population and that of the international community was of utmost importance in the fight.

As expected, there was total consternation among family members, some of who collapsed during the coffining ceremony. The Friday ceremony was preceded a day earlier by an in camera security meeting at the Governor’s Office during which Presidential envelops were shared to the families of the victims to enable them better organise and pay their last respect to the fallen soldiers.