The hoodlums carted away over FCFA 70 million and valuable assets in two separate assaults.
Residents of Buea are now living in panic following two incidents in a Microfinance establishment (First Trust) and a popular hotel in town. The two armed robbery attacks occurred just within two days; Saturday 23 March and Monday 25 March, respectively.
The Microfinance institution was robbed in broad daylight, Saturday morning under the watchful eyes of the workers and customers who were held at gunpoint by one bandit. A worker of the institution told Cameroon Tribune that the police officer on duty was not at his duty post at the time of the attack. But police sources have it that the police officer was taking guard outside.
The bandit, CT gathered, entered into the financial institution just like any other customer and surrendered the workers and clients with his gun. He is said to have moved to the Operations Officer and demanded money. The Operations Officer handed four keys to the safe room, safe and safe compartment. The bandit then emptied the safe and made away with FCFA 70 million. The said Operations Officer was arrested and detained before being granted bail by the State Counsel of Buea.
Meanwhile, a popular hotel in Buea was also attacked around midnight on Monday by yet unidentified bandits. According to a police source, the four armed men ambushed the hotel and held hostage the receptionist before forcing her to give them keys to customers' rooms. Our source hinted that the clients including foreigners who were lodging in the hotel were attacked, their money, laptops, cell phones and digital cameras looted.
The items were evaluated at about FCFA 6 million. CT gathered that a Cameroonian-born British national who attempted to resist them was shot on the leg. The manager said the robbers ransacked the offices in a foiled attempt to get to the safe of the hotel. Investigations are ongoing at the Judicial Police in Buea to clamp down perpetrators of the attacks.
