August 9, 2025, Mankon Bamenda, Northern Ambazonia: Enforced disappearance. The family of Lanjeck Vitalis, a motorbike rider, was devastated after his sudden disappearance at the hands of the Cameroon Occupation Forces. For nearly two weeks, his loved ones searched for answers but were met only with silence. Their grief turned to horror on Saturday, August 23, when his body was found floating in the river below Mile 7, Mankon, Bamenda.

Enforced disappearance as a War Crime

The disappearance of Lanjeck Vitalis is not an isolated tragedy but part of a systematic pattern of enforced disappearances carried out by the Cameroon Occupation Forces. Such actions are classified as war crimes under International law. Abducting civilians, concealing their fate, and later executing them without trial strips victims of their humanity and terrorizes entire communities in Ambazonia.

Violations of International Laws

According to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the enforced disappearance of Lanjeck Vitalis represents a grave violation of the rights to life, dignity, and due process. These legal frameworks explicitly prohibit extrajudicial killings, abductions, and the targeting of non-combatants. The failure of the Cameroon Occupation Forces to protect civilian lives is evidence of a deliberate policy of intimidation and repression in Ambazonia.

Human Rights Abuses in Ambazonia

Beyond the disappearance of Lanjeck Vitalis, countless families across Ambazonia face the same fate: arbitrary arrests, torture, and killings by the Cameroon Occupation Forces. Such acts violate core human rights, including the right to security, freedom, and justice. Victims are denied not only their lives but also their voices, leaving families broken and communities traumatized.

Demand for Justice and Accountability

The disappearance of Lanjeck Vitalis must not be forgotten. His case is a call for accountability and International attention. Under International Laws, states and institutions have a duty to investigate and prosecute those responsible for war crimes. Justice for Vitalis and all victims of enforced disappearance is essential for restoring hope and dignity to the people of Ambazonia.