The Mayor of Mamfe, a locality in Manyu Division, South West Region of Cameroon was on Sunday, May 10 brutally shot to death by armed men, sources said.

Mayor Pricely Ojong, Ashu was shot and killed around his native Eshobi, some 8 kilometres away from Mamfe where he was visiting for outreach activities.

Though circumstances surrounding his death are not clear, some sources say, his convoy was attacked as he was heading to the village to donate items in the fight against COVID-19.

However, sources close to the family say, he was heading to the village, supposedly to receive Ambazonia separatist fighters who had dropped their weapons before he was brutally murdered while the soldiers who were accompanying him were injured.

Armd separatist fighter in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon have declared a open war to local elected authorites who took in the Februar 9 Legislative and Municipal elections, describing them as ‘traitors’.

In March, half a dozen councillors of Oku, Bui Division in the North West Region were ambushed by separatist fighter while another local elected official of th Nwa Council was killed.

Over two weeks ago, soldiers successfully rescued the newly elected Mayor of Mbengwi, Momo Division, who had spent weeks in captivity.

The upsurge of violence in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions follows an announcement by the government to begin a plan to reconstruct these regions ravaged by over three years of fighting.