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CameroonOnline.ORG | YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon — The Cameroonian Minister of the Interior, Paul Atanga Nji, announced that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will face prosecution for declaring himself the winner of the recent national elections and for organizing what the government has described as illegal demonstrations that resulted in casualties and property damage.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Yaoundé, the minister detailed the scale and impact of the protests that erupted following the announcement of official election results. He said demonstrators, allegedly under the influence of drugs, had responded to what he called calls for rebellion by Tchiroma Bakary, leading to violent clashes in several urban centers.
According to the Interior Ministry, public buildings, gas stations, and shops were among the properties damaged during the unrest. The minister stated that Tchiroma Bakary would have to answer for his actions before the competent court.
The opposition leader has not yet responded to the government’s decision. In a recent interview with the BBC, given before the final results were announced, Bakary said he was not afraid of being arrested.
Minister Nji indicated that a formal investigation is underway to determine the causes and responsibility for the incidents that occurred before and after the proclamation of President Paul Biya’s reelection. The president, who has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades, was declared the winner with 53.7 percent of the vote.
The government confirmed that several security personnel were seriously injured in the clashes, while some protesters lost their lives, although no official death toll was provided. A regional governor reported that at least four demonstrators were killed on Sunday in Douala, the country’s economic capital. Bakary, in turn, claimed that snipers shot and killed two people outside his home on Monday.
Despite government assurances that order has been restored nationwide, protests have persisted in certain areas. Demonstrators in Douala and the northern city of Garoua reportedly erected roadblocks and set tires on fire on Tuesday, underscoring the ongoing tension following the disputed election results.
The situation remains fluid as the government moves forward with legal proceedings against the opposition leader and continues its investigation into the deadly unrest.
