New York, May 8, 2023—Cameroonian authorities should thoroughly investigate the recent killing of journalist Anye Nde Nsoh, hold those responsible to account, and ensure that journalists can work in the Northwest Region safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday.
At about 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, gunmen shot and killed Nsoh outside a bar in the Northwest Region’s capital of Bamenda, according to multiple news reports.
Capo Daniel, a leader of the Ambazonia Defense Council separatist faction, said in a video statement that Nsoh had been killed by one of the group’s fighters. He told CPJ by messaging app that the journalist was mistaken for a military commander who frequented that bar.
“Cameroonian authorities must ensure that the killing of journalist Anye Nde Nsoh is thoroughly investigated, those responsible are brought to justice, and that his death is not used for propaganda purposes,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator. “Journalists in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions find themselves under attack by both the government and separatist fighters. Both sides must respect the rights of journalists to report freely and ensure their safety.”
In his video statement, Daniel called Nsoh’s killing “an unfortunate event” and said he was “satisfied” with his group’s investigation into the killing.
Nsoh, 26, covered sports, culture, and local news as the Northwest bureau chief for the privately owned newspaper The Advocate and as a correspondent for media outlets including City FM, Dream FM, and kick442.com, according to those reports and other reporting reviewed by CPJ.
In a statement reviewed by CPJ, police blamed “a group of armed terrorists” and said investigations were ongoing to bring “the outlaws to book.”
Since 2017, the conflict between Cameroonian government forces and separatists from the English-speaking minority has killed over 6,000 people and displaced 765,000, according to the independent International Crisis Group.
Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo was tortured and murdered in January, and Jean-Jacques Ola Bebe was shot dead in February.
[Editors’ note: This article has been changed throughout to correct the spelling of Nsoh’s name.]