Cameroon’s Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji announced that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will be prosecuted for allegedly organising “illegal demonstrations” that led to deadly clashes after the presidential election held on October 12.
Nji accused Tchiroma Bakary of inciting violence by rejecting official results and declaring himself the winner, despite the Constitutional Council confirming 92-year-old President Paul Biya’s re-election with 53.7% of the vote. The opposition leader, who garnered 35.2%, insists the vote was “stolen” and has vowed not to recognise Biya’s government.
Security forces have violently dispersed protests across several cities, including Douala and Garoua, where demonstrators burned tyres and set up roadblocks. The United Nations, African Union, and European Union have all called for restraint and dialogue as tensions rise.
The Interior Minister confirmed that some protesters and security officers were injured during clashes, and an investigation has been launched into the incidents. Analysts warn that the unrest could deepen Cameroon’s long-standing political divisions and trigger a wider crisis in the Central African nation.