A federal grand jury in Minnesota has indicted two naturalized U.S. citizens from the Republic of Cameroon, alleging they orchestrated kidnappings, bombings and killings in their native country.

Benedict Nwana Kuah, 51, and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, 52, were arrested Friday morning in the District of Minnesota and face additional charges of conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim and injure persons abroad, conspiracy to provide material support or resources, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, according to the Department of Justice.

Kuah is also charged with three counts of providing material support or resources, conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction outside the U.S.

The men made their initial appearances and are being held in custody pending detention hearings scheduled for Sept. 10 and 11.

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Kuah and Wongbi allegedly held leadership roles in the Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), a separatist militia seeking to create an independent country in Cameroon, according to the indictment.

The pair allegedly used their positions to raise money and finance the purchase of weapons, and directed co-conspirators in Cameroon to kidnap, bomb and kill civilians, government officials, and members of the security forces in order to intimidate civilians and coerce the Cameroonian government into recognizing their legitimacy.

Starting in 2017, the two men allegedly sent thousands of dollars to co-conspirators in Cameroon for weapons and explosives, directing attacks that killed, injured, or kidnapped civilians, according to the indictment. In 2022, fighters kidnapped a government official and released propaganda videos.

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In 2023, Kuah allegedly helped plan an IED attack on a regional governor and financed a bombing at the Mount Cameroon Race for Hope that injured 19 people. That same year, a Kuah-appointed commander was accused of killing two unarmed civilians in a market square, while Wongbi appeared in a propaganda video issuing threats.

In 2024, Kuah allegedly approved funding and the operational plan for a Youth Day celebration bombing that killed a 15-year-old girl and injured dozens of other children.

The indictment further alleges Kuah and Wongbi raised money online to support their operations, including campaigns called "The Takeover Fund" and "Operation 200AKs," which solicited donations for AK-47 rifles and explosives. 

Kuah appeared in multiple videos urging supporters to fund the purchase of weapons and ammunition, according to officials.

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If convicted, the men face a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison.

Matthew Galeotti, acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ's Criminal Division, said the pair used the U.S. as a base of operations to "cause death, terror, and suffering among innocent civilians."

Joseph Thompson, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, added the state "is not a launchpad" for overseas violence.

"Operating from the comfort of their living rooms in Minnesota, these defendants caused violence and suffering half a world away," Thompson wrote in a statement. "They ordered kidnappings, bombings, and murders. Their crimes are an affront to both American law and basic human decency. Cameroon is a safer place because of this prosecution." 

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Columbia University recently confirmed a major cyberattack that compromised personal, financial and health-related information tied to students, applicants and employees. The victims include current and former students, employees and applicants. Notifications to affected individuals began Aug. 7 and are continuing on a rolling basis.

Columbia, one of the oldest Ivy League universities, discovered the breach after a network outage in June. According to Columbia, the disruption was caused by an unauthorized party that accessed its systems and stole sensitive data. Investigators are still assessing the full scope of the theft.

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TRANSUNION BECOMES LATEST VICTIM IN MAJOR WAVE OF SALESFORCE-LINKED CYBERATTACKS, 4.4M AMERICANS AFFECTED

According to a breach notification filed with the Maine Attorney General's office, nearly 869,000 individuals were affected by the Columbia breach. This number includes students, employees, applicants and, in some cases, family members. Media outlets also reported that the threat actor claimed to have stolen approximately 460 gigabytes of data from Columbia's systems.

Columbia confirmed that the stolen information relates to admissions, enrollment and financial aid records, as well as certain employee data. The categories of exposed information include:

Columbia emphasized that patient records from Columbia University Irving Medical Center were not affected. Still, the breadth of stolen data poses serious risks of identity theft and fraud.

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Columbia has reported the incident to law enforcement and is working with cybersecurity experts. The university said it has strengthened its systems with new safeguards and enhanced protocols to prevent future incidents.

Starting Aug. 7, Columbia began mailing letters to those affected, offering two years of complimentary credit monitoring, fraud consultation and identity theft restoration services.

When contacted, Columbia referred CyberGuy to its official community updates, published June 24 and Aug. 5.

While the university says there is no evidence that the stolen data has been misused so far, the risk remains high. Criminals often wait months before exploiting stolen data.

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If you are among those affected or simply want to safeguard your data, take these steps today:

Check your credit reports regularly through AnnualCreditReport.com. Look for accounts you did not open or changes you did not authorize. 

Since Columbia confirmed that stolen files may include names, addresses and demographic details, consider using a personal data removal service. These services help scrub your information from data brokers and people search sites, making it harder for criminals to exploit exposed details. This step reduces the chance that stolen Columbia records are linked to your broader online identity.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice.  They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.  It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet.  By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com/Delete

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com/FreeScan

Placing a fraud alert makes it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name. A credit freeze offers even stronger protection by blocking new credit applications.

Create long, complex passwords for each account. A password manager can help generate and securely store them.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com/Passwords) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials. 

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com/Passwords

Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible. This extra layer of security helps protect your accounts even if a password is stolen.

Scammers may try to exploit fear around the breach with fake emails or texts. Verify any message before clicking links or sharing personal information.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com/LockUpYourTech 

Beyond the free credit monitoring Columbia offers, additional paid services can help track your data across the dark web and provide extra safeguards.

Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account.  They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. 

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com/IdentityTheft 

The Columbia University breach shows how even trusted institutions are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Because the investigation is ongoing and notifications will continue through the fall, individuals should remain on high alert. With so much personal, financial and health information exposed, staying alert long after the headlines fade is critical.

What more should universities and large institutions be required to do to safeguard the personal data of the people who trust them? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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