Traders traumatized by armed robbery attack

Traders and shop owners have been left traumatized after a series of violent armed robberies that plagued neighbourhoods in Douala II. Hundreds of youth armed with machetes and knives stormed neighbourhoods in Makea Kassalafam on Saturday terrorising traders and passers-by which has had devastating lasting effects.

Several shops and hardware stores located around the 2nd and 6th police districts and even the Congo Market, remain closed up until Monday after the mobs emptied shelves of all their contents amounting to several millions of CFA francs.

A witness said: "The owner angrily gave the young people some money. It was learned that the robbers are among the inhabitants of the Makea neighbourhood. It may be that those who played the detective spotted a house in which there were only two of the many boxes of products carried in the store above.

“They asked the property owner to tell them where the rest of the goods were. Unable to get any response from him, other witnesses say that he was forcibly taken to Kassalafam neighborhood and killed - An action that caused the fury of residents in Makea neighborhood."

The youths also assaulted many passers-by and broke into several other shops and hardware stores. “I managed to save my life by escaping with just a cut by not resisting the bandits,” said one victim.

Another target said: "I was going to a business meeting last Saturday in Congo Market. Unfortunately, while I was walking I found myself face to face with hundreds of young people carrying machetes at the newspaper kiosk located near the intersection toward the central market.

"They raised the machete to cut around my arm to pull my bag. I was saved by the Lord. I begged them to take everything and leave. If I hesitated for a second, I'll be dead in a moment."

The next day he returned to search the nooks and crannies, hoping to find his very important documents in his bag, but the citizen returned empty-handed. He says he was shocked by the atrocities caused by these vicious youths who acted under the nose and beard of men in uniform.

He also added that, "All attacks were committed a few meters from the 2nd and 6th police districts and not even far from a police station at the Congo Market.

“We cannot let people dictate their laws and act according to their moods. Where were the police? What happens when nothing is done to combat the growing insecurity in the areas mentioned above? "