Police arrest six suspected Ambazonian separatists in Cross River

The Cross River State Police Command has apprehended six individuals believed to be Ambazonian separatists after they infiltrated Akamkpa Local Government Area.

Confirming the arrest in Calabar on Saturday, DSP Ewa Igri, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, described the operation as a major success for law enforcement.

Ambazonia, a self-proclaimed entity at the heart of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon, has been engaged in violent clashes with the Cameroonian military since 2017. Separatists from this region seek independence for Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest territories, with some factions forming militias and governments-in-exile.

According to DSP Igri, the suspects, aged 18 to 36, were apprehended after intelligence reports alerted authorities to their presence. Several weapons, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), boots, charms, flags, and firearms, were found in their possession.

“On Oct. 10, through a tip-off and based on the confessions of three suspects, three additional individuals were apprehended,” Igri stated.

Among the items recovered were a GPMG machine gun, an AK-47 rifle, several empty magazines, bulletproof gear, and a stamp bearing the insignia of the Ambazonian army.

Igri added that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation and prosecution.

The police spokesman assured that the command is committed to maintaining peace and security across the state.