5 hospitalised as gendarmes clash with Esu villagers

The Esu/ Danpullo crises on April 16, 2016, took another dimension.About 100 Gendarmes were brought to Esu; sources says it was with the complicity of Baba Alhadji Danpullo to stop Esu population from farming today.

After intimidating with gunshots to no avail, the gendarmes used tear gas to disperse the angry Esu population who had answered present to farm this morning at Wundele-Esu. They know best. The tear gas affected many and five serious cases were carried to the hospital and are currently hospitalised.

According to our source those present that were seemingly very angry says, They were attacked with tear gas while doing an occupation they know best “this is farming season and if we don’t farm we are dead cause there wouldn’t be any food,” cries Fung Rene.

He says, it was thanks to the prompt interventions of the SDO for Menchum -Benoit Williams Emvotou Bita, the DO for Fungom – Edward Egbe Forza, the company commander and the commissioner for public security of Wum who pleaded with the Esu population and invited HRM Kum a Chuo ll out of Wundele for dialogues.

At that juncture, some of the population of Esu has started going back home gradually while some decided to stay in Wundele (the disputed land) waiting for the return of their Fon.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago the Prime Minister of the Republic, Philemon Yang intervened in the crisis and instructed Baba Ahamadou Danpullo to negotiate with the villagers over the 10 thousand hectares during a meeting held in Ayaba Hotel Bamenda.

Instead, Baba Amadou Danpullo shouted saying “I have given administrators lots of money to help me acquire the land in Esu, they have taken lots of money from me,” in the presence of the head of government.

“Only the people of Esu, the fon of Esu and members of the ad hoc commission put in place can resolve this matter, go and negotiate with the people of Esu”, responded PM Philémon Yang who chaired the meeting at Ayaba Hotel Bamenda on Saturday 27/02/2016.

Fon Kum-a-Chuo II Albert Chi Kaweah of Esu , Alhadji Baba Danpullo, the Northwest Governor -Lele L'Afrique, SDO for Menchum- Benoit Williams Emvotou Bita and DO of Fungom-Edward Egbe Forzah all attended behind closed doors.

In a cacophony of a situation, on the even of 11 February President Biya outlined a policy on state television (CRTV) asking youths to go into farming yet his party’s central committee members have taken over the land and his gendarmes are stopping the youths from going back to the land.