Cameroon Jails Three Soldiers for 2020 Ngarbuh Killings

Cameroon has sentenced three soldiers to prison for their roles in the 2020 Ngarbuh killings, where 21 civilians—including 13 children and a pregnant woman—were killed during unrest in the country’s English-speaking northwest. The convictions mark a rare instance of military accountability amid nearly a decade of conflict driven by English-speaking communities’ grievances over marginalization in a predominantly French-speaking nation.

Cameroon has handed down prison sentences to three soldiers found guilty of involvement in the killing of 21 civilians during unrest in the country’s English-speaking northwest region in February 2020, according to statements from victims’ lawyers on Friday. The convictions were delivered by a military court in Yaounde on Thursday, representing a rare instance of military personnel being held accountable for violence against civilians in the country. Human rights campaigners have described the killings as part of a military operation in which government forces, alongside an ethnic militia, raided the village of Ngarbuh, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 people, including 13 children and a pregnant woman.
Initially, the Cameroonian government rejected allegations that its troops had deliberately participated in the violence, maintaining that the deaths occurred amid broader security operations. However, in response to mounting evidence and public pressure, Yaounde eventually opened a formal legal case, paving the way for the rare prosecution and conviction of military personnel. According to the victims’ lawyers, Sergeant Baba Guida was sentenced to eight years in prison, Gendarme Haranga Gilbert received a ten-year sentence, and Corporal Sanding Sanding was sentenced to five years. These sentences reflect the court’s judgment regarding the respective levels of involvement and responsibility of each soldier in the Ngarbuh operation.
The killings took place within the context of the ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s North-West region, one of two English-speaking areas in the country that have experienced nearly a decade of armed violence. The unrest stems from attempts by English-speaking communities to secede from Cameroon, driven by grievances over political marginalization and cultural discrimination in a predominantly French-speaking nation. The crisis escalated in late 2016 after President Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for more than 42 years, ordered the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations organized by English-speaking citizens advocating for greater autonomy and recognition of their rights.
The Ngarbuh killings became one of the most widely publicized incidents of the ongoing conflict, drawing condemnation from both national and international human rights organizations. The fact that the Cameroonian military ultimately pursued legal action against its personnel involved in the attack has been viewed by observers as an important, though limited, step toward accountability in a conflict characterized by widespread violence and impunity. The sentences, while significant, also highlight ongoing challenges in addressing broader patterns of violence in the English-speaking regions, where clashes between government forces, separatist militias, and local communities have continued despite efforts at negotiation and national reconciliation.
By holding three soldiers accountable, Cameroon’s military justice system has set a precedent for future cases involving human rights abuses, signaling a potential shift toward greater oversight of armed forces and recognition of civilian rights. Nevertheless, the broader conflict in the North-West and South-West regions remains unresolved, and the potential for further violence and civilian casualties persists, underscoring the need for sustained political engagement and measures to protect vulnerable populations in the country’s English-speaking areas.