North West Region Abducted GTTC Wum Teachers, Principal Rescued By BIR Troops

Five educational staff members from Government Teachers' Training College, GTTC Wum, IN Menchum Division of the North West Region -  including the Principal, Mrs. Kwa Hope, have been safely rescued by troops of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR. This follows their abduction in the school campus by armed attackers on September 8, 2026.

Rescued A Day After Abduction

The rescue took place in the evening of Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in the bushes of Isu village, not far from Weh village. Weh is located approximately 7 kilometers from Wum, the headquarters of Menchum Division in the North West Region.

Speaking in a phone interview with Cameroon Tribune Online on the morning of Thursday, September 10, 2026, the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Menchum Division, Abdoulahi Aliou, confirmed that the freed educators arrived back in Wum at approximately 7:00 AM on Thursday September 10, 2026 under the escort of BIR troops.

Operation In Isu By BIR Troops

"The BIR elements were on the ground in the bushes between Weh and Isu," SDO Abdoulahi Aliou explained. He noted that active troop operations in the area pushed the perpetrators back, resulting in exchange of gunfire as the fleeing, armed kidnappers were pursued through the thicket.

All Phones Seized

The SDO indicated that while the exact details surrounding their stay in captivity remain under review. While the victims' personal belongings, including their mobile phones, were all taken away by the abductors. “We do not yet know what really happened… if the captives paid any ransom or not. They might have been forced to disclose their secret codes to enable the kidnappers withdraw money from their mobile money accounts…” the SDO suggested.

Medical Care, Psychological Support

Following their arrival in Wum early Thursday morning after navigating difficult road conditions f...