By Joe Dinga Pefok
A locally made bomb exploded outside the compound of the Late National Chairman of the SDF, Ni John Fru Ndi, at Ntarikon Quarters in Bamenda, in the morning of Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
According to a Bamenda based journalist, Joe Awah, who has been a longtime close collaborator of the SDF leader and who lives close to Fru Ndi’s Compound at Ntarikon in Bamenda, the huge explosive was planted in a maize farm just about 50 metres away from Fru Ndi’s Compound, and exploded at about 8 am on Wednesday, July 19.
Talking to The Post by telephone, Awah said when he heard a loud sound that morning; he jumped out of his house and saw people running helter-skelter, saying that a big bomb had exploded. Seeing that the huge sound came from the direction of the SDF National Chairman’s compound, Awah made bold and headed for the Chairman’s compound.
When he got to the compound, he met the Gendarmes who have been guarding the compound. The Gendarmerie Brigade at Ntarikon was contacted, and soon a team from the Gendarmerie Brigade arrived late Chairman Fru Ndi’s compound, led by Adjoudant Efimba. The Gendarmes from the Ntarikon Brigade, accompanied by those at Fru Ndi’s Compound and Joe Awah, then moved to the scene of the explosion.
Awah remarked that the explosive was quite powerful, as pieces of metals from the explosive landed on roof tops some 200 metres away. He said it was not immediately known if the explosive that was planted in the farm was detonated by somebody at a distance, or if it exploded on its own.
Meanwhile the Gendarmes from the Brigade at Ntarikon, did not take away the wreckage of the explosive, explaining that it was a special security unit that would do so.
Second Explosion
Meanwhile, when The Post contacted Adjourdant Efimba in the afternoon of that Wednesday, July 19, to find out if there had been any developments in incident that occurred near Fru Ndi’s Compound, he said no. He went on to disclose that when they returned to the office from Fru Ndi’s Compound, they were soon called to the scene of another that exploded at the Finance Junction. In fact, he said he was talking from the scene of that second explosion.
Suspected Sabotage, Intimidation
Meanwhile, the burial of the Pioneer National Chairman of the SDF, Ni John Fru Ndi, who passed away in Yaounde on June 12, 2023, is scheduled to be buried in his native Baba Village, Santa Subdivision next weekend. The funeral arrangements and activities are scheduled to hold in Yaounde and Bamenda, before the burial.
There are suspicions that some heartless elements of some reckless separatist groups, are attempting to sabotage the funeral in the Northwest Region, by scaring away several mourners.
Unidentified arsonists suspected to be separatist fighters, recently burnt down part of the kitchen of Fru Ndi’s house in the village, Baba. Now it is the story of a huge explosive that was planted near his Bamenda compound.