Joseph Wirba, the outspoken member of parliament for Jakiri in Bui Division, has made startling claims about the human toll of the crackdown that followed the October demonstrations in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. In his account, the number of people killed, wounded and forced to flee is far higher than the official figures released by the government.
Who is Joseph Wirba
A member of the Social Democratic Front, Wirba became widely known in the Anglophone regions after a fiery speech in the National Assembly in which he denounced the treatment of English-speaking Cameroonians. He later went into hiding, and his statements have since circulated widely online and in the diaspora, where many regard him as one of the few elected officials willing to speak openly about the crisis.
What he says happened
According to Wirba, security operations conducted during and after the demonstrations led to numerous deaths across towns and villages of the North West and South West regions. He speaks of many injured people who avoided hospitals for fear of arrest, of homes searched and burned, and of large numbers of people who fled into the bush or across the border into Nigeria.
His figures could not be independently verified. Access to affected areas is restricted, the internet has been disrupted, and families are often afraid to speak. The government has rejected accusations of excessive force and said that its forces responded to threats against public order.
Why the numbers are disputed
- Many deaths occurred in remote villages far from the media
- Bodies were reportedly buried quickly or taken away
- Displaced people are scattered in forests, other towns and Nigeria
- Official and unofficial sources use different methods and definitions
A call for an independent inquiry
Wirba's revelations add to calls from churches, rights organisations and opposition figures for an independent investigation into the events. Such an inquiry would need to collect testimonies, examine medical and burial records and give families the chance to report missing relatives safely.
The humanitarian cost
Whatever the exact figures, aid workers and church networks confirm that the crisis has displaced many families. Children are out of school, farms have been abandoned and communities that once relied on trade between towns are cut off. In Nigeria, border communities have received refugees who arrived with almost nothing.
What it means
Wirba's statements show how deeply the October events have marked the Anglophone regions. For many, establishing the truth about the dead, the injured and the displaced is a precondition for any meaningful dialogue. Without it, the wounds of the crisis will remain open.