Seven passengers were abducted in Cameroon's Northwest region late Saturday after armed men intercepted their vehicle on a highway, security sources confirmed on Sunday, 19 July. The victims were travelling from Bafoussam, the capital of the West region, to Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest region, when gunmen stopped their vehicle.

What Happened

Family members of the abducted passengers told local media that the kidnappers are demanding a ransom for their release, according to reports. The specific amount demanded has not been disclosed publicly. Security sources confirmed the incident but did not immediately provide details on the identity of the perpetrators.

Pattern of Violence on Northwest Highways

Ransom kidnappings are a recurring feature of the Northwest region, where an armed separatist conflict between anglophone fighters and government forces has been ongoing for several years. Police say travellers are frequently targeted by gunmen suspected to be separatist fighters seeking to finance their operations through abductions.

This latest incident is part of a documented pattern. Last month, approximately 12 people — including 10 passengers aboard a bus — were abducted by suspected separatist fighters in the same region. That bus had departed from Ndop and was heading to Bamenda when it was intercepted in the Sabga locality. 'The separatist terrorists stopped the bus in the Sabga locality and kidnapped 10 passengers, including the driver. Two individuals who witnessed the incident were also abducted. They took them into the bush and started demanding a huge ransom,' a security source said at the time.

In December, a further eight passengers on a bus travelling from Bamenda to the town of Kumbo were similarly abducted when their vehicle was intercepted in the Bamessing locality. 'The separatist terrorists kidnapped the passengers when the bus was crossing the locality of Bamessing. They took them into the bush and started demanding a huge ransom. We only learned about the abduction late Thursday,' a security source said.

Ongoing Separatist Conflict

The Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon have been gripped by an armed conflict since 2017, when anglophone separatists declared independence for a self-styled state they call Ambazonia. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and severely disrupted movement along major highways. Highway travel between key towns such as Bafoussam and Bamenda has become particularly dangerous, with armed groups routinely setting up roadblocks and targeting civilian vehicles.

Response and Search Operations

Local authorities have launched search operations in connection with the latest abduction. Movement along the affected highway has been disrupted, according to reports. No official statement from the Cameroonian government was immediately available regarding the 19 July incident. With no peace talks currently underway and armed groups retaining operational capacity, the threat to civilian travellers in the Northwest is expected to persist.