🔗 Share this article

Cameroon's Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji has announced that opposition leader Tchiroma Bakary will be prosecuted over claims that he incited "aggressive post-election demonstrations".

A minimum of 4 protesters have been fatally wounded during skirmishes between police and military and opposition supporters since the electoral process on 12 October, with the 92-year-old head of state obtaining an eighth consecutive term.

Tchiroma Bakary asserts that he emerged victorious, a statement disputed by Biya's ruling party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).

Violent crackdowns by police and security officers on demonstrators have worried the international community, with the UN, African Union and European Union demanding restraint.

Official's Allegations

Recently, Nji alleged the opposition figure of organising what he described as "illegal" demonstrations resulting in the deaths, and also condemned him for announcing success in the electoral contest.

He noted that Tchiroma Bakary's "associates involved in an insurrectionary plan" will also be prosecuted.

Poll Figures

Cameroon's leader, who came to power in 1982 and is now the world's oldest head of state, obtained the 12 October vote with 53.7% of the votes, compared to a significant minority for the challenger, according to Cameroon's Constitutional Council.

Leader's Stance

Tchiroma Bakary is remains silent to the government's decision to bring him to court, but he had earlier announced that he would not accept a rigged election - and that he was undaunted of being taken into custody.

When results were announced, he said that gunmen used lethal force on demonstrators present near his residence in Garoua, fatally wounding at least two civilians.

Probe Launched

Earlier this week, the government official announced that an investigation would be launched into unrest before and after the publication of the election results.

"Throughout the violence, some of the perpetrators lost their lives," he stated, without providing a exact count of demonstrators who have been lost their lives in the incidents.

The minister further mentioned that several officers of the police and military also sustained major harm.

Current Situation

Even though the interior minister asserted the condition nationwide was now manageable, protesters continue to protest in certain regions of the nation, especially in Douala and Garoua, where demonstrators established obstructions on Tuesday, and burnt tyres on the roads.

Experts warn that the post-electoral violence could plunge the nation into a political crisis.