83-Year-Old Missionary Taken Hostage in Cameroon’s Anglophone Region

An 83-year-old British missionary, Huub Welters, and his assistant, Henry Kang, have been abducted by armed men in Cameroon’s conflict-ridden Northwest region, underscoring the ongoing crisis affecting the country’s English-speaking minority.

The pair were seized on Tuesday in the town of Bambui as they traveled to Ilung, where they were involved in building classrooms for underprivileged children. The Catholic Mill Hill Missionary group, which Welters is part of, issued a statement expressing deep concern over his wellbeing, citing his fragile health and history of medical procedures.

The group shared: “They were abducted by unknown armed men, and as of now, no one knows where they are. What weighs heaviest on our hearts is his fragile health… and now, on top of all that, the cruel mental and emotional suffering of being held hostage by those he only ever wanted to help.”

The NGO African Conscience told AFP that separatist fighters are likely responsible. Efforts are reportedly underway by the Archdiocese to secure their release. “We pray. We plead. We wait,” the NGO added.

Violence and kidnappings have become disturbingly common in Cameroon’s Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions, where separatist militants are pushing for independence from the predominantly French-speaking central government. Both government forces and separatist groups have been accused of human rights violations in the worsening conflict.

As the international community watches, the situation continues to raise alarm about the safety of civilians, aid workers, and religious figures in the region.