A freelance journalist based in Douala, Kingsley Njoka Fomunyuy has been declared missing by his family members.

Kingsley Njoka Fomunyuy was arrested on May 15 by men who presented themselves as elements of the Cameroon security forces and taken to an unknown destination, the journalist’s wife said.

Since then, the whereabouts of the journalists are still not known.

The Cameroon Association of English-speaking journalists, CAMASEJ condemned the arbitrary arrest and detention of the journalist and called for his immediate release.

According to a statement from CAMASEJ,  “on May 15, 2020 at about 6:30 am, supposed security operatives picked up our colleague, Kingsley Njoka Fomunyuy, from around his house at Carrefour Mutzig in the Bonaberi neigbourhood of Douala, Cameroon. Mr. Njoka had stepped out of the house to listen to morning news using his phone, she said.

“Three men and a woman – one armed – who identified themselves as members of the National Security stormed his house.

“The four persons moved into the living room and showed one of his sons what looked like an identification badge and asked for his mother.

“Before Njoka’s son could reach for his mother, the men bashed into their matrimonial room and met the wife, informing her that they had arrested her husband.

“The team collected Mr Njoka’s identity card, wallet and laptop. The supposed security operatives asked the wife to take them to the office of Mr. Njoka at Petrolex Fuel Station in the Ndobo area, same vicinity with the house.

“The four persons searched the office and collected two laptops. The team drove off in a white pick-up bearing initials ‘SN’ on the number plate; promising the wife that the husband will return soon with the laptop.

These developments come just few days after the government of Cameroon confirmed ten months later that journalist Samuel Wazizi had died in detention of severe sepsis.

However, journalists, and family members continue to press for an independent investigation into the death of the journalist.