Droves of armoured vehicles are patrolling the streets of Limbe in the South West Region to prevent any disruption of the African Cup of Nations( AFCON) beginning Sunday January 9, 2022 in Yaounde.
Cameroon is hosting the tournament in six cities but security is most at threat in Limbe, a city at the tropical Atlantic coast whose surrounding Region has been rocked by armed attack since war broke out in 2017.
The conflict in which armed groups are trying to form a breakaway state called Ambazonia has killed At least 3000 people and forced one million to flee.
Violence has worsened since last year as separatists have increased their use of improvised explosives.
"My fear is that the recent phenomenon of bomb blasts which have been happening in other parts could be a common phenomenon during this AFCON period," a local journalist Honore Kuma was quoted as saying.
Insecurity is just one issue facing this tournament. Concerns about the readiness of stadiums and the spread of the omicron Covi-19 Variant have also made headlines in recent weeks.
Limbe's omnisport stadium will host matches from group F comprising Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania and Gambia.The group first game will be between Tunisia and Mali on Jan 12.
The nearby regional headquarter of buea where some group F training will take place was stroke by two explosions in November including one in a university which injured 11 students.
Authorities have kept security under wraps but promised there won't be no disruption for group F matches.
Armed police, gendarms and soldiers have been positioned in major intersections .checkpoints have been set up on roads into the city.
"AFCON will take place in very good condition, there are no grounds for concern." Said Emmanuel Ledoux Engamba, SDO for Fako which includes Limbe and Buea.
The separatist conflict began in the English speaking Northwest and Southwest in 2016 where teachers and lawyers protested against their perceived marginalisation by the primarily French speaking national government.
A violent crackdown by security forces radicalized the movement . Armed groups forced amid the region's forest and cocoa plantations.
As Limbe readies for an influx of fans, some residents said they are not focused on soccer.
" How will I enjoy it when my brothers and sisters are suffering because of the Anglophone crisis? Every day they are dying." Said 33-year old Roland. Who lives near the Limbe stadium.
Courtesy Reuter
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