State Declares Bangolan Dethronement Claims Null, Warns Perpetrators of Severe Sanctions

The Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Ngoketunjia Division has firmly restated the State’s position following what authorities describe as an illegal and sacrilegious attempt by a dissident group to dethrone HRH Senator Fon Chafah Isaac XI of Bangolan.
In a strongly worded press release dated February 14, 2026, the administration condemned the actions of individuals who allegedly stormed the Bangolan Palace on February 13, 2026, in the absence of the Fon and legitimate kingmakers, and performed rituals purportedly aimed at cursing the traditional ruler to death before proclaiming his dethronement and installing what the administration terms a “puppet impostor.”
The State has declared all actions carried out within the palace and village in that regard “null and void,” insisting that the institution of the Fon in a paramount chiefdom is neither elective nor subject to arbitrary removal.
According to the SDO, once a traditional ruler is duly designated by recognized kingmakers, presented to the population and homologated by the State, he remains enthroned for life in accordance with established customs and republican legality. While acknowledging that customs provide internal mechanisms for correction, the administration stressed that these do not extend to deposition or dethronement.
The administration further described the group behind the attempted dethronement as habitual troublemakers, linking them to previous acts of disorder in Bangolan dating back to 2016, including vandalism and threats to the life of the Fon, which forced him to temporarily relocate.
Authorities also accused members of the group of exploiting the ongoing sociopolitical climate in the North West Region to impose illegal levies on villagers under the guise of a fictitious development association. Reference was made to an earlier administrative decision banning their activities after a villager was reportedly killed for resisting payment of what officials termed an “imaginary liberation tax.”
Reaffirming the State’s authority, the SDO emphasized that Cameroon is governed by the rule of law and warned that no group would be allowed to hold a village and its traditional institutions hostage. He assured that the administration would leave no stone unturned in identifying those responsible for the “unruly acts” and bringing them before competent courts for maximum sanctions.
The State equally warned that any individual found collaborating with the dissident faction would face prosecution in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.
While reassuring the population that HRH Senator Fon Chafah Isaac XI remains the legitimate Second Class Chief of Bangolan and continues to enjoy the recognition of the administration, the SDO called on law-abiding citizens to remain calm, vigilant and continue their daily activities in serenity.
The administration concluded with a strong appeal for civic responsibility, urging the people of Bangolan to strictly respect the contents of the press release and to report any acts capable of disturbing public peace.
With this declaration, the State has made it unequivocally clear that attempts to destabilize legally recognized traditional institutions will not be tolerated within the Republic of Cameroon.