It all started with the death of a young street vendor from the Bulu community. The death was attributed to a Bamoun trader who had set up a shop at the ‘Petit Marché’ in the centre of Sangmélima, where he sold second-hand clothes.

Members of the Bulu community converged on the ‘Petit Marché’ to avenge this death. In a video, a horde of angry people can be seen walking down a street in the town. These people attacked the shops of Bamoun traders who defended themselves, according to the same witnesses. For the moment, it is difficult to have a material and human assessment of these clashes between communities.

The situation is now under control. But the gates of the shops in the city centre have remained down. Law enforcement agencies are keeping the area under control to prevent any outbursts. Communication from officials is still awaited.

This is not the first time that such clashes have occurred in Sangmelima. In 2019, the murder of a young motorbike taxi driver, also from the Bulu community, triggered the looting of businesses run by people from other communities. The Sangmelima elite mobilised to calm the ardour.