Cameroon’s government says opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action over allegations that he incited violent demonstrations following the country’s disputed presidential election.
Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji on Tuesday accused Tchiroma Bakary of organising “illegal” protests that led to the loss of lives and declared that his “accomplices responsible for an insurrectionary plan” would also be prosecuted.
At least four protesters have been killed in clashes between security forces and opposition supporters since the 12 October election, in which 92-year-old President Paul Biya secured an eighth consecutive term with 53.7% of the vote. The Constitutional Council said Tchiroma Bakary received 35.2%.
The opposition leader has rejected the result, insisting he won the election—a claim dismissed by Biya’s governing Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). He previously told the BBC he would not accept “a stolen vote” and said he was not afraid of being arrested.
Tchiroma Bakary also claimed that on election result day, armed men opened fire on protesters gathered near his residence in Garoua, killing at least two civilians.
The interior minister announced that an investigation would be launched into the violence before and after the election results were declared. “During these attacks, some of the criminals lost their lives,” he said, without specifying how many people died.
Nji added that several security officers sustained serious injuries during the unrest but maintained that the situation nationwide was now under control.
Despite his assurances, protests continued in parts of Douala and Garoua on Tuesday, where demonstrators mounted roadblocks and burnt tyres.
The United Nations, African Union, and European Union have all called for restraint, warning that the post-election violence could push Cameroon deeper into political instability.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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