'The 27 Youths Killed In Menka Were Terrorists Wreaking Havoc In Buchi, Piyin and Menka' - Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary

The Minister of Communication Issa Tchiroma Bakary and mouth piece of the Cameroon government yesterday Monday May 28, 2018, held a Press Conference in Yaounde and gave a situational report of the killings in the North West Region last Friday May 25.

Minister Tchiroma said the 27 youths killed in Menka were terrorists wreaking havoc in Buchi, Piyin and Menka. Below is the report he gave, which we copied from his Twitter Handle this morning.

I just gave a press conference on the recent developments that occurred last 24/25 May 2018 in some localities in the Mezam department, North-West Region of Cameroon.

27 terrorists were neutralized, one captured, another one injured who is currently receiving medical care from the military Health Unit.

'The 27 Youths Killed In Menka Were Terrorists Wreaking Havoc In Buchi, Piyin and Menka'

Thanks to this special operation, five shotguns were seized, including 17 weapons of war, 10 hunting weapons, over 2,000 ammunition, 30 military uniforms and 5 berets belonging to gendarmes and policemen coldly murdered by the same terrorists in Bali, Belo and Batibo.

The group of criminals neutralized by our Army had settled 2 months ago in Menka, Pinyin and Buchi. They were terrorizing and extorting people. They embarked in drug trafficking, forcefully recruited young people for the purpose of their gang and repeatedly raped young girls.

In their criminal deeds, they assassinated the Commander of the Bali Research Brigade, and one of his elements, and also a pupil gendarme. They launched an attack against Widikum, Batibo and Amba to prevent the 20th May celebrations in these localities

Within the same period, two girls and two boys were kidnapped and released against the payment of ransoms by their parents. Two daughters of the President of the PINYIN 5 CPDM Sub-Section were in turn abducted and brutally raped.

On May 22, 2018, the Fon of Menka village was visited by assailants of the same criminal group who, after molesting him, made away with his hunting weapon.

On May 23, these terrorists settled in a motel in Menka. They beat the mother of the owner as she tried to prevent them from besieging the motel; she's still in a critical condition. The assailants transformed the motel into their headquarters where they held 15 persons hostage.

This is how our authorities, informed of the situation, decided to carry out a special operation in Menka on the night btn May 24 n' 25. The op. involved the Ntl Gendarmerie Intervention Grp, the 51st Motorized Infantry Brigade n' the Special Operations Group of the Ntl Security.

Taking note of this operation, a sentinel of the criminal group opened fire as a sign of alert. But our Forces, acting professionally, kept their cool and asked the terrorists to surrender n' release the hostages. But they retaliated by killing 5 hostages.

It was one of the hostages killed by the assailants whose picture was doctored and circulated on social media as being hung by our Defence and Security Forces.

To the civilian populations held hostage by the murderous madness of these lawless criminals, I extend Government’s appreciation for their collaboration with the administrative authorities and the Defense and Security Forces who are there to protect them.

H.E. President Paul BIYA, Head of State n' Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is more than ever committed to restoring peace and security in these two regions of our country, while ensuring these fundamental imperatives throughout the national territory.

To defeat terrorism and bring peace and security to the North-West and South-West regions, the collaboration between our Army and the populations is indispensable.'