A local administrator who was abducted by suspected separatists in Cameroon’s conflict-ridden North-West region has been liberated, according to statements by the regional governor. Nicholas Nkongho Manchang and his team were ambushed on Tuesday in a village in Ndu, Cameroon while en route to the installation ceremony of another senior administrator.
Governor Adolphe Lele l’Afrique announced on Wednesday that the government official was “rescued” in a “swift military operation” authorised by President Paul Biya.
However, a circulating video on social media depicts Mr. Nkongho claiming he managed to escape captivity and walked for several hours. The rest of his convoy remains in captivity.
Since 2017, Cameroon’s two Anglophone regions, the North-West and South-West, have been embroiled in conflict, with ongoing clashes between government forces and separatists advocating for independence.
Kidnappings of government officials and civilians by separatists are frequent occurrences, while rights groups also condemn Cameroon’s security forces for alleged human rights violations.