Cameroon School Shooting an Atrocity that Underscores the Urgency of Protecting Ordinary People – Amnesty International

Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

Humanitarian body, Amnesty International has condemned the killing of eight school children inside their classroom by gunmen in Kumba, South West region of Cameroon on Saturday.

The body in a statement issued on its verified Twitter, obtained by African News Today said that the killing amounted to an atrocity that underscores the urgency of protecting ordinary people from the ongoing violence in English speaking region of Cameroon.

Gunmen who rode motorbikes and wore civilian clothes invaded a school in Kumba on Saturday and opened fire, killing eight children and injuring 12 others. Scores of children were injured while scampering to safety.

Amnesty International said, “The killing of eight schoolchildren inside their classroom is an atrocity that underscores the urgency of protecting ordinary people from the ongoing violence in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions. This horrific attack shows how badly the situation is deteriorating and we call on Cameroon’s authorities to immediately take all possible measures to protect the population.

“At least 12 other schoolchildren were injured in the attack. Over the past year there has been a surge in attacks in the Anglophone region, with many people killed, abducted or injured.

“The Cameroonian authorities must send out a strong and clear signal that such appalling crimes will not be tolerated, by immediately investigating these killings. The perpetrators must be identified, arrested, prosecuted and tried in a fair trial.

“We also call on authorities to guarantee at all times and in all places the free exercise of the right to education, which is under threat.”

This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *