Ensuring a hitch free CHAN: Gov’t Tightens Security, Anti-COVID Measures At Airports, Host Cities

-But separatist declare lockdown, vow to disrupt matches in SW

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde 

Government has taken measures to ensure a hitch free hosting of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) competition that kicked off over the weekend in four different cities. 

Transport minister inspects airports 

Security elements have been put on high alert in the towns of Yaounde and Douala while there is heavy deployment in the towns of Limbe and Buea in the restive South West where group D teams will be lodged and matches played. 

Measures have also been taken to ensure strict respect of all anti-COVID-19 barrier measures prescribe by government and the World Health Organsisation to all the visitors especially at airports. 

Inspection visits to this effects were made at the Douala and Yaounde airports few days to the start of the tourney by Transport Minister, Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibehe. 

He expressed satisfaction to the level at which security and health disputations were taken at the airports, the waiting rooms, and many other areas. He was accompanied by officials of the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA), the Airport of Cameroon (ADC).

While all might seem well in the towns of Yaounde and Douala, the cities of Limbe and Buea are under serious security watch. Separatist fighters have vowed to disrupt games in Limbe and training sessions in Buea.

The armed men in their usual social media outings have called for lockdown to ruin the ambiance that will come with the competition. Locals seem to have shunned such threats and are going about their activities normally. 

In attempts to scare the population to stay, a brewery vehicle was set ablaze early Friday around Likomba in Tiko Subdivision by armed men said to be separatist. This cause some fear for hours be activities took steam later across the region. 

This comes after some road construction equipment were set ablaze around one of the Middle Farms stadium in Limbe. It is not yet clear if locals will later respect the lockdown calls from the separatist.