2024-10-08 17:45:05
An unprecedented act of violence shakes Cameroon. Father Christophe Komla, a priest of Togolese origin, was brutally assassinated in Yaoundé, plunging the country into fear and raising serious questions about national security. This tragic event marks a dark turning point in the country’s recent history.
A shocking execution in the heart of Yaoundé
The evening of October 7, 2024 will be remembered as a night of horror in Mvolyé, Yaoundé. Father Christophe Komla, priest of the Saint Pierre and Paul Zouzoui parish in the diocese of Yagoua, was shot dead in cold blood by attackers on motorcycles. Five bullets hit the man of God, leaving him lifeless at the entrance to the provincialate of the CICM community.
“It is an act of barbarity that defies understanding”is indignant Father Jean-Marie, colleague of the victim, when questioned. “Father Komla was a man of peace, devoted to his community. Who could want him dead? ? »
Growing insecurity that alarms the international community
This assassination takes place in an increasingly worrying security context in Cameroon. The French embassy recently warned its nationals against going out to Douala, due to the phenomenon of “microbes” – these gangs of young delinquents sowing terror.
“Cameroon is becoming a Wild West“, a priest is alarmed. “ European chancelleries are worried, and rightly so. It is time for our authorities to take stock of the seriousness of the situation.«
The loss of Father Komla is a hard blow for the Cameroonian Catholic Church, already affected by the assassination of Monsignor Yves Plumey in 1991 in Ngaoundéré and Mgr Jean-Marie Benoît Balla seven years ago. The religious community is in a state of shock.
A high-pressure investigation
Cameroonian authorities reacted quickly, promising a thorough investigation. Father Komla’s body was transferred to the morgue of the Yaoundé central hospital, while the police intensified their investigations.
The assassination of Father Komla highlights the multiple security challenges facing Cameroon. Between the terrorist threat in the North, tensions in the English-speaking regions, and the rise in urban crime, the country faces a complex equation. Mgr Samuel Kleda, Archbishop of Douala, expresses his pain: “We are deeply saddened and shocked by this heinous act. Violence has no place in our society, even less against men of God. »