Yesterday, September 18, Pamol Plantations Plc issued a release confirming a separatist attack on one of its camps in Lobe Estate. It also listed the victims of that attack as two of its employees  a heavy machinery operator and his son– and two women wives of a retired employee. 

The attack was claimed by a militia leader known under the nom de guerre of "Field Marshall Focus", in a video on Sunday, September 17. The attack was carried out by "Expendable Family," Marshal Focus's militia.

According to Mbile Tapea Solomon, general manager of Pamol Plantations, the motives of the attack are still unknown to the management. However, in his video, Marshal Focus claims it was carried out to force civilians to leave Lobe Estate. Today’s attack is “just a sample” of what we can do, he said.  

The separatist leader added that those were not mere threats. "(We) are here to protect civilians, but if a civilian values his life, from today, September 17, 2023, I will give him until the end of the month to leave this camp," he threatened.

For its part, Pamol's management is asking staff to remain calm and hopes that the authorities will step up security.

Pamol is a state-owned agribusiness company. Like its peer CDC, it is regularly attacked by separatists just because they are owned and work for the Yaounde-based central government against which the separatists have been fighting since 2017. 

L.A.