Ayaba Shooting: Survivor Recounts How God Saved Him

Che Henry and Ibrahim Talla ( from left to right), victims of the shooting spree

"The scene was like a Hollywood movie. It was at about 4: 00 pm local time Tuesday, February 22, 2022, when I was inside Ayaba hotel where I took my car to be washed. One of the people killed is the  owner of one of the biggest hotels in Bamenda who also came for his car to be washed",

"He offered me a beer which I promised to drink after a transaction that I was about to make outside the hotel. During this time, Ibrahim Mawa, as the deceased is called was already sharing a drink with the security guard and the soldier at the entrance of the hotel who would eventually kill him.  Once outside to complete my transaction, I heard the sounds of gunshots.  It took me a few minutes to figure out where these shots were coming from".

He continued, "I saw people running helter-skelter with one of them shouting, "it's hot in Ayaba", so I decided to hide in order to find out exactly what was going on.  After a few minutes, I heard another gunshot inside the hotel", Emmanuel, not his real name explained.

Another eyewitness who was inside the hotel at the time of the incident explained that "I saw the soldier fire at the close range at Mawa, and then he pointed his gun at the other individual who he later killed. The soldier knocked him out with his rifle, ordered him to lay down, which he did, but the soldier gave him two shots when he was still lying" tells our witness anonymously.

Emmanuel continued, "If I came back in time to drink my beer, sure I have been one of those killed. After shooting the two to death, the soldier continued to threaten passers-by and customers of the hotel until he was disarmed by elements of the Bamenda gendarmerie Bridgate as the latter took him away", he said.

North West Governor's Communique

Reacting to the incident, North West, Governor Adolph Lele LAfrique attributes the incident that led to the death of the victims to a dispute that erupted as a result of alcohol.  He said the investigation has been opened to know the exact cause of the incident.

By Neba Jerome

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