Cameroon: State counsel orders release of arrested Uiniversity of Buea students

The over two hundred students who were arrested Monday 28 November after riot break out at the University town of Buea have been reunited with their families after spending close to 48hours in police custody.

The students were released yesterday, Wednesday 30 November on instructions of the state counsel for Buea after they were ferried to his office by elements of the National Gendarmerie.

At about 10AM yesterday, the first truck carrying students arrived at the state counsel’s office where a group of lawyers even though on strike decided to storm the state counsel’s office to ensure that all arrested students are given the maximum support they require.

After over 6hours of deliberation at the state counsel’s office, it was resolved that all the arrested students with their National Identification cards on them be released immediately while those without were asked to make phone calls for their ID cards to be brought to them.

At the time of this report, some of the student were already released and could be spotted limping to their various residences after been tortured by irate police officers. It is however important to note that not all those arrested were UB students as just anyone who was spotted around the University junction that faithful Monday was bundled by the combat ready riot police officers.  

As a result of last Monday’s strike action even though the vice chancellor of the University of Buea, Nalova Lyonga emphasised that lectures were on, the student residential town of Buea was completely deserted as some few students could be spotted with their travelling bags rushing out of Buea. Most of them saying they will only return to Buea in January 2016.

It is worth nothing that after last Mondays strike action, parents and guardians have called on their students studying at the University of Buea to return home immediately.

Walking through the university town of Buea which at this time is often characterized by a lot of fanfare as hundreds of students are often spotted after ever one hundred meters, one might be tempted to compare Buea these days to the Gaza strip suffering the aftermath of a war which is deserted towns and streets.