Location: Cameroon (Far North)
Type: Civil Society
Cameroon have begun using ‘vigilantes’ at checkpoints and within communities. They are known as ‘vigilance committees’. This has seen the use of local people to support CIED efforts and it is believed it has greatly helped.
This is because most soldiers will be ignorant of the local customs and dialects given the variety of tribes located in Cameroon. A vigilante on the other hand does, and can therefore spot something out of the ordinary more easily.
They also have better ties and avenues of communication in the local community, so it often anything out of place will be reported to them first.
This profile is part of AOAV’s investigation into counter-IED (C-IED) actors around the globe. To see the list of all C-IED actors recorded by AOAV, see here. To see those engaged in the Middle East, the Sahel, North Africa or other highly impacted countries please see here, here, here, and here respectively. This research was made possible by funding from the NATO Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED COE). To read the full report, ‘Addressing the threat posed by IEDs: National, Regional and Global Initiatives’, see here.
Did you find this story interesting? Please support AOAV's work and donate.
Donate