Cameroon: Prison authorities reject humanitarian aid for Anglophone detainees

Humanitarian relief from Ayah Foundation rejected by prison authorities

Authorities of the Kondengui Maximum security prison in Yaounde on Thursday January 10 turned down humanitarian aid destined for inmates detained as a result of the crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon.

The aid offered by the Ayah Foundation was rejectted at the prison on ‘instructions’ from hierarchy, the Ayah Foundation said.

The Foundation decried the attitude of the prison authorities whom they said had given clearance for the relief to be brought in only to later backtrack on their decision.

Though prison authorities have not made any statement regarding the incident, a source at the prison confirmed the incident to Journalducameroun saying the prison guards had acted on instructions from the prison administration

“The prison is not a refugee camp,” the source said while saying the decision was taken due to the fact the relief was coming from the Ayah Foundation.

The source at the prison also added that it is the sole responsibility of the prison authorities to accept or reject relief brought in.