BAMENDA: EXPLOSION SPOILS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

While others got up with joy to celebrate the birth of Christ, some shop owners got up to bad news about explosion of some shops, in the North west region precisely Bamenda. This incident occurred in the market at T-junction, a quarter in Bamenda.

One of the witnesses bewailed on the extensive damage caused by the explosion. “My brother’s shop of dresses was completely burnt down , while fruits in a nearby kiosk was also hit by the flames” he explained. The origin of the explosion remains uncertain, but suspicions immediately rose up pointing fingers to the separatist fighters. This form of violence, often associated with separatist groups, has previously targeted the army but sadly it always ends up hurting the civilian population.

The incident added a sombre note to the Christmas celebrations in Bamenda, Northwest region, Cameroon, which already faces the challenges of a traditional ghost town every Monday. Despite the festive season, the streets of this area zone remained strangely empty, in contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of the said Christmas day. The atmosphere, usually busy with crowds on the streets, was replaced with an eerie silence as residents chose to stay at home to avoid the potential dangers associated with the sporadic violence in Bamenda. The impact of this explosion is felt not only in the material damage caused to the involved shops, but also in the disruption to Christmas festivities.

According to enquired information, many citizens in Bamenda decided to celebrate the day in the shelter of their homes, avoiding public spaces to mitigate the risk of encountering violence or mass shootings, that have become a sad reality in the town. The situation actually reflects on serious uncertainty in the towns and villages of English Cameroon. in a season were many are expected to relax a little and celebrate, it is now they opposite they now fear.

Delia Nyadi.