August 15, 2018, Mbengwi, Momo State, Northern Ambazonia: Cameroonian Occupant Forces abducted and killed two nurses, Njong Patrick and Azah Nancy, who were a married couple returning home from work. Njong Patrick and Azah Nancy were more than healthcare professionals;

they were silent saviors to the community and pillars of support to their family. Their brutal and untimely death marked yet another targeted attack on innocent civilians and humanitarian workers, a violation of International Humanitarian Principles.

This atrocity constitutes a War Crime under International Law (IHL). The Geneva Conventions (1949), particularly Common Article 3, prohibit acts such as violence to life, murder, and cruel treatment of civilians and non-combatants during armed conflict. The abduction and killing of Njong Patrick and Azah Nancy, who were healthcare workers performing their duties, also directly violate Article 8(2)(e)(ii) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which criminalizes attacks on humanitarian personnel and medical workers. Such deliberate targeting disrupts access to critical medical services and violates the protection afforded to those providing essential care during conflict.

The killing of nurses also infringes on the protections outlined in Protocol II of the Geneva Conventions, which governs non-international armed conflicts and specifically prohibits attacks on personnel involved in medical missions. By abducting and executing Njong Patrick and Azah Nancy, the Cameroonian Occupation Forces not only committed murder but undermined the health system that serves the most vulnerable populations in Mbengwi. Furthermore, this crime violates Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which upholds the right to life.

The tragic killing of these two nurses reflects a systematic pattern of targeting professionals, civilians, and humanitarian workers. Such acts inflict deep scars on communities, depriving families of breadwinners and essential workers while instilling fear and destabilization. The international community must hold the perpetrators accountable and enforce the protection of civilians, ensuring justice for Njong Patrick, Azah Nancy, and all victims of such war crimes. This incident underscores the urgent need for accountability to end impunity in conflict zones like Ambazonia.

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