July 13, 2020, Babanki, Mezam State, Northern Ambazonia, was transformed into a scene of horror and devastation as the Cameroon Occupation Forces unleashed a campaign of terror against innocent civilians. In a series of coordinated attacks, the forces abducted, tortured, and brutally executed unarmed individuals, showing no regard for human life.
To further compound the suffering of the victims, the soldiers set fire to homes and properties essential for the villagers’ survival, reducing years of hard work and livelihoods to ashes.
Eyewitnesses described the harrowing events that unfolded, recounting how families were forcefully dragged from their homes, their cries for mercy ignored. The abducted individuals were subjected to inhumane forms of torture, including severe beatings, humiliation, and other cruel treatment, before being executed in cold blood. The brutality was indiscriminate, affecting men, women, and even the elderly, leaving the entire community in shock and despair.
As if the killings were not enough, Cameroon Occupation Forces deliberately torched houses, farms, and vital structures that sustained the livelihoods of the people. The fires raged through the village, consuming everything in their path—homes, food supplies, tools, and other essential resources—leaving survivors homeless and destitute.
Families, who once lived in peace, were forced to flee for safety, their futures suddenly uncertain. The destruction was systematic and intentional, not an act of war but a deliberate strategy to instill fear, cause displacement, and weaken the civilian population.
The scorched remains of Babanki now stand as a painful testament to the ruthless violence of the occupation forces. The victims’ families are left not only to mourn their loved ones but also to struggle for survival, having lost everything they owned. This calculated act of terror was meant to break the spirit of the people, yet it has only strengthened the demand for justice and accountability.
The abduction, torture, execution of civilians, and deliberate destruction of homes and properties are grave violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions strictly prohibits murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture of persons not taking part in hostilities. Article 8(2)(c)(i) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) criminalizes summary executions and inhumane treatment of civilians. Additionally, Article 8(2)(b)(ii) forbids the extensive destruction of civilian property unless justified by military necessity. The actions of the Cameroon Occupation Forces in Babanki amount to War Crimes and Crimes against humanity, warranting urgent international investigation and legal action.
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