Contrary to our reports that General Tumenta Chomu died in US, family sources have corrected our previous reports, saying the Major General died in Lagos Nigeria.
Our source said the entire family is still broken by this sad news and the late General’s mum is yet to accept it. The Major General Martin CHOMU TUMENTA was so dedicated to his job that he visited his home village just once, spending just a couple of hours since his appointment to head the UN peacekeeping force in the Central Africa Republic.
Our intelligence reporter in Yaounde gathered Etoudi was preparing an announcement for the Major General to become the second Anglophone Army Chief of Staff of Cameroon after Rt Major General. Tataw James in 2001, before his death.
Sadly, the head of the MINUSCA in Bangui died of poison. "He was murdered for doing his job he loved," lamented our source.
Another source noted that he had earlier flown to the United States from the Central African Republic capital in poor health condition. Doctors in New York put him on Chemotherapy thinking it was cancer.
Things got worse as it was poison that he was suffering from. Ten days before his death, he left Huston in the US for Lagos, Nigeria to see T B Joshua for prayers at the influence of very close family members.
Critics see a French hand in the major general’s death as France was not comfortable with a Tumenta who reported the atrocities committed by French Sangaris Deployment in Bangui.
“The man was resolute not to return to Bangui as he sensed,” accord to a military informant. “that they were going to finish him off”.
The paratrooper and commando pathfinder, who was 60 years old, was the third Cameroonian general to have died in the last 18 months after Mouhamadou HAMADIKO, and Roland MAMBOU D. Martin CHOMU TUMENTA .He was born in 1954 and he had two elder brothers.
In the discharge of his responsibilities, Martin Tumenta showed courage and unwavering commitment, contributing greatly to the initial stabilization of the situation in the CAR.
It should be recalled that MISCA was deployed in a particularly challenging security situation. Despite its limited means, the Mission was able to carry out its mandate in a satisfactory manner, thus making it possible for MINUSCA to take over.
The Pan-African commitment of General Tumenta was an example of dedication, an exceptional leader with remarkable works ethics proven by his role as Commander of the MISCA military component and, subsequently MINUSCA.
The repatriation of his body to Cameroon and funeral programs are still been awaited.