At least 25 people abducted by gunmen in western Cameroon

By EDWIN KINDZEKA MOKI
Associated Press

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Local authorities in Cameroon say that at least 25 people were abducted during a week of attacks by armed men in western Cameroon. They were kidnapped by gang members from several villages in Ako district along the Nigerian border. Local residents have been calling on authorities to increase security in the area, as armed gangs operate on both sides of the border. While it is unclear who is responsible for the abductions, officials believe it could be ethnic Fulani herders from Nigeria, a largely Muslim semi-nomadic group who regularly cross into Cameroon with their cattle and clash with farmers. The Central African nation has been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017.