Bamenda-based filmmaker and journalist Hans Achomba has been released after spending over a week in secret detention. Achomba was abducted by security agents in plain clothes on November 5, 2025, in Bamenda, raising widespread concern among local and international media organizations.
According to the filmmaker, he was taken to the Legion headquarters at Up Station, where he was questioned about his work, including a documentary script related to Samuel Wazizi, a journalist who died in detention. The security agents accused him of being a “troublemaker” and confiscated his ID card, passport, and phone. Achomba recounted being blindfolded and abandoned in a bush area, fearing for his life.
The abduction was widely condemned by human rights groups and media organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which described his disappearance as a case of enforced detention. Following mounting pressure, Achomba was quietly released and reunited with his family on the night of November 12.
His family and colleagues expressed gratitude to those who campaigned for his release, but questions linger about the state’s accountability and potential compensation for the alleged illegal arrest and due process violation.
This incident highlights the ongoing concerns about press freedom in Cameroon, particularly in the context of the country’s post-election tensions. Achomba’s case is not isolated, as he has previously faced persecution for his work, including a nine-month detention in 2017 for covering the Anglophone crisis
