🔗 Share this article

Cameroon's Minister of the Interior the interior minister has announced that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will be prosecuted over claims that he instigated "aggressive post-election demonstrations".

At least four protesters have been killed during clashes between security forces and demonstrators since the electoral process on October 12, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya securing an eighth consecutive term.

The opposition leader insists that he emerged victorious, a statement dismissed by the governing party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).

Aggressive responses by police and security officers on protesters have concerned the global community, with the United Nations, AU and European Union urging restraint.

Minister's Accusations

Earlier this week, the interior minister accused Tchiroma Bakary of coordinating what he labeled "illegal" rallies resulting in the loss of lives, and also rebuked him for declaring victory in the election.

He further stated that Tchiroma Bakary's "co-conspirators involved in an insurrectionary plan" will also undergo judicial processes.

Vote Outcome

Cameroon's leader, who assumed office in 1982 and is now the most elderly national leader, obtained the October 12 election with over half of the ballots, compared to a significant minority for the challenger, according to the constitutional court.

Leader's Stance

Tchiroma Bakary is yet to respond to the official announcement to try him, but he had earlier announced that he rejected a stolen vote - and that he was fearless of being arrested.

When results were announced, he said that armed men used lethal force on protesters assembled near his home in Garoua, killing at least two individuals.

Probe Revealed

On Tuesday, the government official revealed that an inquiry would be launched into clashes before and after the publication of the election results.

"In the course of these incidents, some of the individuals involved were killed," he stated, without giving a precise figure of protesters who have been fatally injured in the incidents.

The minister added that a number of officers of the security forces also suffered major harm.

Ongoing Circumstances

Although the interior minister insisted the condition nationwide was now stable, protesters are still demonstrating in certain regions of the country, especially in urban centers, where protesters mounted barricades on Tuesday, and ignited tyres on the roads.

Analysts caution that the post-electoral violence could plunge the nation into a governmental instability.