This past Friday a Minnesota grand jury handed up an eight-count indictment charging two naturalized U.S. citizens for directing kidnappings, bombings, and killings “in their native country, the Republic of Cameroon,” as the Department of Justice press release puts it.
In its accustomed style, the Minnesota Star Tribune refers to the charged defendants as “Minnesota men” in the headline “Minnesota men indicted on charges of funding and directing violent attacks in Cameroon.” With its accustomed penchant for leaving out salient details, the Star Tribune simply reports that they are “both U.S. citizens[.]”
The long press release and 32-page indictment merit attention in their entirety. They read like a lost chapter of an Evelyn Waugh novel that was omitted for lack of humor. The linked press release is accessible online. I have embedded a PDF of the illustrated indictment below.
“Minnesota men” Benedict Nwana Kuah and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi seek to carve out the new country of “Ambazonia” from parts of Cameroon. These “Minnesota men” led the self-proclaimed Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF).
Kuah is the Chairman of the ADF’s so-called War Council. Wongbi is the Head of Defense, Department of Logistics and Human Resources of the War Council. They directed “fighters” to kidnap, bomb, and kill civilians, government officials, and members of the Cameroonian security forces in order to coerce the Cameroonian government into recognizing their legitimacy. Both Kuah and Wongbi were actively involved in planning, financing, and directing attacks to intimidate and coerce the civilian population and to influence the policy and conduct of the Cameroonian government.
Who is vetting these immigrants? You have got to be kidding me.
According to the indictment, beginning in 2017, the defendants directed and financed attacks and kidnappings in Cameroon. The defendants sent thousands of dollars to fighters for the purpose of purchasing weapons and ammunition and directed fighters to conduct attacks that resulted in deaths.
Unlikely as it may seem, Kuah and Wongbi apparently did not procure their funds in the Feeding Our Future scandal. Aside from their fund-raising among other Cameroonian expatriates, the source of their funds is not disclosed in the press release or the indictment itself.
Kuah and Wongbi were arrested and taken into custody on Friday morning. They are detained pending hearings set this week on September 10, 2025 (Kuah) and September 11, 2025 (Wongbi). If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison, but in a just world they would be returned to Cameroon for the treatment they deserve.
