05/14/2026
Anglophone Conflict: Nearly 10 Years On, Military Solution Has Failed. Why Does Biya Still Cling to It?
The Pope’s recent visit to Bamenda was mainly aimed at bringing peace to a NW, SW bedeviled by conflict. The Pope’s visit was mainly strategic and not political since the Pope himself tries to maintain neutrality in each country’s internal affairs. The best he could do was to shine a light on the plight of the people in the NW, SW regions. Behind closed doors, he was likely going to suggest to Mr. Biya to listen to the cry of Anglophones and solve the problem through peaceful dialogue and make concessions (such as releasing the Nera 10 and all those arrested in connection with the Anglophone Conflict.
However, Biya seems hell-bent on a military solution to end the conflict. In speech after speech during his routine end-of-year addresses to the nation, he has repeatedly blamed the conflict on Amba Boys. Biya fails to admit that when his former PM, Philemon Yang was in discussions with the Consortium of lawyers and teachers in 2016 and early 2017, there were no Amba Boys anywhere. His government’s own iron-fisted approach made talks to collapse when the Consortium was outlawed for demanding a return to the two-state federation. The internet was shut down, Anglophone leaders who were being negotiated with were arrested – among them Agbor Balla who was later freed and several Anglophones were shot dead by trigger-happy soldiers. Following these killings of civilians, on December 9, 2016, Amnesty International wrote that “Authorities in Cameroon must investigate the use of excessive and unnecessary force that led to the deaths of between two and four people during a protest in the north western city of Bamenda yesterday…”.
The International Crisis Group had warned that Biya’s “repression” of Anglophones would lead to an “insurrection” in Anglophone regions. Issa Tchiroma, then serving as Communications Minister, dismissed the warnings. Today, we find ourselves in a cycle of killings and counter-killings which have failed to bring peace or end the violence. Biya must be humble enough to accept that he needs to make concessions with separatist fighters and fighters must also do the same. Both parties need to make compromises and meet in the middle and have genuine dialogue underpinned by truth, justice and reconciliation and rehabilitation for fighters who drop their weapons; while soldiers and fighters guilty of war crimes are tried accordingly. A military solution has clearly not worked in 10 years and clinging on to it is very unwise at this stage.
Photo: AFP
