By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Amina Hilda
Published on 2024-02-08 13:33:42
Mamfe Mayor denies separatist involvement in recent fire outbreak at Central Park
The Mayor of Mamfe, Robertson Tabenchong Ashu, has made it clear that the fire that broke out at Mamfe Central Park was not linked to separatist activity. The incident occurred on the evening of February 7, 2024, and resulted in the destruction of approximately 10 shops in the park, located in the South West Region of Cameroon.
Addressing the media, Mayor Robertson Tabenchong Ashu stated that the fire started from a shop whose owner was not present at the time of the incident.
He said, “An unknown fire has burned 10 shops today. We don’t know where the fire came from. Eyewitnesses told us that the fire started in a shop that was locked up. The person who owned the shop was not there at the time.”
While acknowledging that the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, Mayor Ashu emphasized that the incident was not related to an attack by Ambazonian fighters. He stated, “I want to state it very clearly, critically, that it is not an Ambazonian attack. The fire was not caused by Ambazonian terrorists. No! It is caused by an unknown situation.”
An eyewitness of the incident reported, “I heard a shout that there was fire at the third store behind. When I stood up, I noticed smoke. That is how we rushed to the scene to start evacuating goods.” Despite successful evacuation efforts, significant material losses were incurred.
Mayor Robertson announced that law enforcement would launch an investigation to identify the cause of the fire outbreak.
He also urged well-wishers and those willing to help to extend support to the victims financially or materially. “Meanwhile, we continue to sympathize with those who have lost their properties and to say that in any way we can reach out to support them, we can do so because they have families to care for,” Mayor Ashu stated.
It is worth noting that Mamfe has been a focal point of separatist attacks since the beginning of the Anglophone crisis several years ago. A recent tragic incident involved the murder of approximately 30 civilians by separatists and the burning of a hospital in the same town.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
