By Bakah Derick
Public transport users crossing the West-North West borderline have crossed the over five years old stiff security check points at Matazem without the regular checks on Wednesday 10 August 2022. According to a passenger who traveled from Bamenda to Douala this day, they were informed by someone speaking in pidgin that they should stay in the bus as they were preparing to step down and present their National Identity Cards (NIC) as has been the case for many years now.
"I didn't believe him at the beginning until he sent one women back to her seat just infront of me who was already going out to present her ID as we normally do." Kilian Funwie said
Though good, the simplicity with which the message was delivered yet arrogant rather got Kilian scared.
"The guy was speaking in very raw pidgin when he said the control has been removed. I suspected it could be fighter (non state armed fighter) because I didn't imagine such a thing to be true. I am a regular road user and I didn't expect the type of control we have there to stop" he added indicating that the new check point will now be in Babajou
Instituted at the wake of the ongoing armed conflict involving the North West Region, by the Ministry of Defense on both the West and North West ends close to the borderline, the check points had become characteristic of any trip to or from the North West such that it's absence could be a source of worry.
At Matazem, public transport vehicles were expected to offload their passengers for them to present their NIC from any of the sides arrival walking across the borderline to another check point as if to be checked for entry. That is what we gathered has been relaxed as transport vehicles crossed without emptying their passengers for checking.
www.hilltopvoices.com has not confirmed if breaking Thursday morning those entering Bamenda had to be subjected to the bitting cold in the area as has been the case for a long time to present their NICs.
With no official statement, nothing is known concerning the sustainability of the decision.
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