l have to apologize to our numerous readers that I am not a Journalist hence the narrative here below might not embody all the tenets of any sound or good investigative well researched material. I am just a simple raconteur of what many would prefer to ignore. What you are about to read is purely third party information (with some flaws; but the sordid details should be of concern to any right thinking human being.
Child Trafficking and Kidnapping is now front and center taking shape right in front of our eyes and unfortunately with the connivance of some of our elites and authorities. Our collective silence in the face of this pernicious societal ill cannot be relegated to any kind of mental disequilibrium. It is called IRRESPONSIBILITY. If we do nothing about it, Bamenda, our beloved metropolis is going down the drain as we watch like strangers in our land.
While there are many other children involved in this saga, we shall concentrate on one of them: Boris Killi who was let go by the grace of God and was able to narrate his ordeal to "investigators" in Wum.
Boris is a 12 year old boy who lives in Wum and came to Bamenda for holidays. Like is common place with children his age, he left home and went to the soccer field to play with friends. While enjoying their soccer game, a certain well dressed urban gyro-vagabond showed up claiming to be a Manager of a Sports Academy in Douala hunting for young "Soccer Talents" to train and eventually take abroad to play in big European Clubs. You all could become like Eto'o Fils and other soccer big names.
As could have been expected, this "sleek Salesman" gathered a bunch of "enthusiastically excited kids" from that field into his Van and drove off telling them in the van that, they were going to get soccer jerseys, snickers and cleats first. That was just the beginning of the ordeal for these kids as they were never allowed to see day light once they were whisked manu-militari into the now known compound in Sonac street, Mankon.
As elucidated in a previous mail, when Boris' mother noticed his absence on July 17th she alerted her neighbors, family and contacted Security Officials in Bamenda and the radio station. Later she started receiving phone calls requesting ransom.
About Forty (40) days after Boris' disappearance, she received another call from her cousin in Wum that four individuals(three men and one woman) had brought Boris to Wum claiming to be "Evangelical Crusaders" The Men of God said that Boris was handed to them in Bamenda by one "good Samaritan" lady, since they were going to Wum and Boris had told her that he(Boris) was from Wum. (It turns out, the mysterious lady is Mme Michelle Djene of SCB Bank Bamenda).
A casually dressed Security Officer who happened to be having a meal at KK Snack (a popular restaurant in Wum, where Boris was dropped off at about 6pm August 20th 2015) heard the weird and entire conversation, smelt a rat and immediately jumped in and started asking a few questions to the four individuals. Not satisfied with their explanation, the Officer called for back-up.
That led to their being whisked to the Police Station where after serious interrogation, they revealed that they were "Evangelists" who were in Wum for a Missionary Crusade and the child had been handed over to them by a certain "very kind" lady who heads a popular Bank on Commercial Avenue, Mankon.
The officers were still not convinced with that simplistic smokescreen and said they will need to talk to the lady.
Meantime, Boris identified one of the "Pastors" as having "visited" them at the Sonac street hide out where they were caged. The identified crusader/pastor is a certain Mr Zengue (a teacher in GHS Wum, also a business man and the owner of his own congregational God's Ministry of about 40 faithfuls following the preachings of his idol TB Joshua. Mr. Zengue was apparently in Nigeria and a representative of the Nigerian Prophet in Cameroon at some point before he started his own congregation.
Something still smelled fishy and not adding up here, said the officers. The four Crusaders were told that they will be detained in Wum until the Lady (Michelle Djene) who gave them Boris came to Wum to explain why and how she came in contact with Boris. Boris had during his interrogation, said that, they were sleeping on two old matresses on the floor, 5 of them on each mattress (see pictures below)
ENTER Ms. MICHELLE DJENE
Ms Djene highlighted Wum the very next day at about 2pm Friday August 21st. What ever transpired at that point at the Security office in Wum can only be described as "Guess Work Analysis" as rumors from bemused onlookers and interested parties, talk of financially loaded envelopes exchanging hands. Mme Michelle openly showed the officer on duty an envelope with 20.000frs cfa that she had prepared for Boris to buy school needs.
To the surprise of the population that was already paying full attention to this convuluted story, all the Four "Missionary Preachers" were immediately released as the teramorphous radiantly smiling charmeuse Ms Djene Michelle majestically walked out of the Security office and drove back to Bamenda. The investigation was to be continued in Bamenda on Monday August 24th 2015.
Quizzed by the confused family and curious onlookers on what was going on, some of the Officers shamelessly said "You guys should go home. This case is closed. Wuna no lucky say wuna don see wuna pickin? Wuna know how many picken dem dey loss for this kontri every day? That mammie Djene na some good samaritan woman. Wuna get for praise am instead of calling her names. Wuna sabi wetin be kidnapping? Talk less of Child Trafficking? Na so wuna Bamenda people dey. Wuna too like palaver". Mme Djene is apparently from Douala region
Here now are the unanswered questions:
1) When Boris was interviewed, he said they were 12 of them in the Sonac Street house. Eventually 02 disappeared (or successfully ran away). While in captivity, they were never allowed to venture outside the house. Their staple food was rice spiced with palm oil that was cooked and sometimes dry bread was brought to them by some people he did know, but he had seen Mr. Zengue in Wum. It begs the question: Who were the other kids?Why were they locked up and where are they right now?
2) Who is the fellow who took them from the soccer field?
3) How did Mme Djene Michelle who claims to be doing benevolent work to assist "Bamenda displaced kids" to keep Bamenda free from street kids, do this without the knowledge of the Police in Bamenda. How did this philanthropic woman end up with a kid like Boris Killi for more than 40 days (from a well grounded family) when radio announcements were made repeatedly about the disappearance of Boris with Police report.
What is the relationship between her professional Banking career as the Manager of SCB and warehousing children at two now identified residences in Meta Quarters and Sonac Street? Why is it that Boris is the one who took the Bamenda security officers to the house at Sonac Street? Since this news broke out, what have the authorities done to protect Boris and other kids exposed to this rising phenomenon? Have they called in to check on the veracity of these serious allegations against Mme Djene Michelle and reassure the public of her genuine intentions?
4) Could (see picture here below) this be happening in broad day light in the NW Provincial Capital and the authorities (who are always quick to crack down on smaller offences) claim they have no knowledge of its existence?
The population would like to know what happened or is happening to the "Investigators" who were so "gong-ho" with excitement trying to crack this case, until Mme Michelle Djene entered their offices and they were not so enthusiastic anymore? Why are junior and subordinate Security Officers who are doing their best to get to the bottom of this case, being intimidated by some of their bosses? Is there something the population should know?
5) Why was one of the Human Rights Independent Investigators locked up by the authorities? Was he by happenstance trying to expose that some of our authorities may be involved in this very egregious crime of Child Trafficking and Kidnapping? The highest authority of the Region (the Governor) has been briefed, CRTV has been notified, Security officials have been alerted. Now, where and who should the population turn to next to eradicate this growing and dangerous phenomenon in our society?
In short, why are there no officers guarding the Sonac Street and Meta Quarter identified "Trafficking Centers"? Do they want the population to take the Law into their own hands and solve it the Bamenda way? What happened to Justice, Equity and Fairness? The abduction and kidnapping of 200 young girls in Nigeria should keep us very vigilant with our surroundings because it can happen in our country. We need action now to stop it.
We would caution all families to be aware of their surroundings. It happened to the young Boris and he got lucky but many others have simply disappeared. When you hear stories of our compatriotes who were/are SLAVES in UAE, Doha, Kuwait (through no fault of theirs) with some who have now sought refuge at the Central African Embassy in Kuwait; others in far flung areas like Hyderabad in India...working NJOGMASSI as Slaves. This is very serious.
This nonsense has to stop. If the authorities are incapable of putting an end to these Criminal underground Networks; we the people might be forced to ACT.
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