By Neba Jerome Ambe
The remains of those killed during the attack ready for burial
Tubah, a once-quiet highland community in Cameroon’s Northwest Region, has been thrust into mourning after a week marked by brazen attacks on civilians and a place of worship, tragedies that echo the broader tensions of the country’s prolonged Anglophone crisis.
The violence reached a disturbing peak on Friday, November 14, 2025. As Bamenda prepared to welcome the Apostolic Nuncio for the re-dedication of its Metropolitan Cathedral, separatist fighters stormed a mosque in Sabga. What should have been a sanctuary for prayer became a scene of terror. Three worshipers were killed instantly. Nine others, gravely wounded, were rushed to hospitals as families scrambled for news of loved ones.
According to a press release that was issued by the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh, 25 others were abducted but were quickly rescued, “thanks to the professionalism of the defense and security forces.” He also said the hospitalized are fast recovering and their bills to fully covered by the state. While sending a message of condolences and encouragements to the affected families, Mr Mooh has assured the population of a man-hunt to track and bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to answer before the judiciary for their crimes.
The SDO in the press release also invites the Sabga Muslim Faithful in particular and the population of Mezam in general to remain calm, vigilant, and to collaborate more with administrative, defense and security force to apprehend the gang of heartless criminals from the communities.
Worth noting that, barely hours later, the violence spread to Four Corners Bambui. Gunmen targeted unarmed civilians, killing Kingsley “Eke,” a respected casket dealer, and abducting a local bar owner. Witnesses reported that the attackers intercepted a vehicle, forcibly removing its occupants, a reminder of how suddenly ordinary routines can turn deadly in this conflict-stricken Region.
Only days before, on November 8, suspected separatist fighters ambushed and killed four gendarmes near a local market.
In less than seven days, Tubah has lost at least seven lives, seven families bereaved, seven futures abruptly erased. The pattern is tragically familiar, but the frequency and brutality of the attacks have renewed calls for urgent action.
The incidents in Tubah are part of the wider Anglophone crisis, now entering its tenth year. What began as grievances over marginalization has spiraled into one of Central Africa’s most entrenched conflicts. Schools have been shuttered, markets disrupted, and entire villages displaced. The crisis has become a silent emergency, overshadowed on the global stage yet devastating in its daily impact.
For civilians, the threat is constant. Worshippers fear even sacred spaces. Traders hesitate to open their shops. Parents worry each morning whether their children will return home. These attacks are not just statistics, they are ruptures in the social fabric of communities trying to hold on to normalcy.
In response to the recent killings, authorities have increased patrols across Tubah. While some residents express concern about isolated misconduct by security forces, many acknowledge that their presence has helped deter further attacks.
But experts and community leaders agree: security alone cannot restore peace. Any sustainable response must rebuild trust between the state and local population, trust that has frayed after years of tension, fear, and displacement.
Many are urging all parties, including those resistant to negotiations, to reconsider entrenched positions. They argue that the cost of stalemate is paid in human lives, and that inclusive, honest dialogue remains the only viable exit from the crisis.
Tubah’s pain is not an isolated tragedy, it is a warning to Cameroon and to the international community that protracted conflict, if ignored, deepens with time. The attacks remind the world that beneath the geopolitical debates are real families struggling for safety, dignity, and hope. As Cameroon continues to navigate its most complex crisis in decades, Tubah’s resilience stands as both a plea and an example. The world is watching. What happens next will determine not only the fate of this community, but the future of peacebuilding across the region.
