Journalist and publisher Blasius Charles Nji of The Pilot Newspaper was abducted on Tuesday December 2, 2025 by unidentified armed men in Bamenda, prompting widespread condemnation from media professionals and press freedom advocates.
In a statement issued on the day of the incident, the Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ) Bamenda Chapter expressed “deep concern” over the kidnapping and called for Mr. Nji’s “immediate and unconditional release.”
The group described the abduction as part of a disturbing trend of intimidation and violence targeting journalists in Cameroon’s North West Region amid the ongoing socio-political crisis. “These recurring incidents not only endanger the lives of media practitioners but also undermine the fundamental role of the press in informing the public and fostering peace,” the statement read.
CAMASEJ warned all actors — state and non-state — against targeting journalists, stressing that media workers are “not combatants, enemies, or instruments of any conflict,” but professionals carrying out a public duty.