Nurses Face Arbitrary Arrests and Torture
Human rights violations in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions are escalating. Nurses and activists face arbitrary arrests, torture, and persecution. Many flee their homeland, leaving families and careers behind in search of safety.
One such case is Kuta Joan Uwi, a dedicated nurse who dreamed of making a difference. Her passion for healthcare was fueled by personal loss—at age 10, she lost her brother, George Achuo Kum, a BBC journalist, to cancer. Determined to help others, she pursued nursing and worked tirelessly to treat patients in her community.
But her job put her at risk.
On March 26, 2024, armed forces from the Bataillon d’Intervention Rapide (BIR) arrested Joan while she was on duty. They detained her at Bamenda Central Police Station (BMM) for 16 days without an arrest warrant or criminal record. Along with other nurses, she was forced to sign documents in French, falsely linking them to the treatment of wounded separatist fighters.
Healthcare Workers Accused of Aiding Separatists
Security forces routinely target medical professionals in the North West and South West regions, accusing them of treating separatists—simply for doing their job.
This crackdown is not new. In 2008, activists were detained for demanding reforms. The repression worsened in 2016 when Anglophone lawyers and teachers, led by Barrister Nkongho Agbor Balla, convened to discuss injustices. Authorities violently broke up the meeting and arrested participants under the 2014 Anti-Terrorism Law, which broadly defines terrorism to include public demonstrations.
Since then, many nurses, journalists, and human rights defenders have been labeled as threats to national security. They face arbitrary arrests, torture, or exile. Families of those in exile are often harassed and threatened.
International Condemnation and Calls for Action
Global human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and UN treaty bodies, have condemned Cameroon’s extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and systematic torture.
A recent police raid on the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) office in Nkwen is another example of state repression. Activists were arrested over false claims that they planned to disrupt the Pope’s visit—without any proof.
Joseph Fru, a human rights lawyer, warns:
“The world must stand with those risking their lives to heal, report the truth, and seek justice. Their voices must not be silenced by fear and violence.”
The persecution of nurses, journalists, and activists in Cameroon demands international intervention. Without it, professionals like Joan—who simply care for the sick—will remain targets of state oppression.