At least four people have been killed in clashes between Cameroonian security forces and supporters of opposition leader Issa Tchiroma, who claims to have won the country’s October 12 presidential election.
The violence erupted on Sunday in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, just hours before the official results of the election were scheduled to be announced on Monday.
Regional governor Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua confirmed the fatalities, saying protesters had attacked a gendarmerie brigade and two police stations, leading to a violent confrontation.
“Four people unfortunately lost their lives,” Diboua said, adding that several security personnel were also injured during the unrest.
Eyewitnesses told AFP that security operatives fired live bullets after using tear gas to disperse the crowd. “They fired—three people fell right in front of us,” one demonstrator said, requesting anonymity.
Protesters also showed journalists spent bullet shells they said were collected from the scene near the gendarmerie.
The protests were sparked by Tchiroma’s claim that he secured 54.8 percent of the vote in the election, disputing expectations that 92-year-old President Paul Biya, who has ruled for over four decades, would secure another term.
Despite a government ban on public gatherings, Tchiroma had called for peaceful demonstrations, urging his supporters to “defend their mandate.”
In Garoua, his northern stronghold, police fired tear gas to disperse crowds waving national flags and chanting, “Goodbye Paul Biya, Tchiroma is coming.”
Meanwhile, the capital city Yaoundé remained tense but largely calm under a heavy police presence, though smaller protests were reported near Douala airport.
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The situation escalated further after the arrests of two opposition figures on Friday—Djeukam Tchameni, leader of the Movement for Democracy and Interdependence in Cameroon, and Anicet Ekane, president of the African Movement for the New Independence of Cameroon—both of whom had supported Tchiroma’s presidential campaign.
Internet monitoring agency NetBlocks reported extensive disruptions to online access across the country, warning that the blackout could restrict reporting and communication.
Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji condemned the demonstrations, describing them as attempts to “create a security crisis” and instigate an “insurrectionist project.”
The Constitutional Council is set to declare the official election results at 11 a.m. (10:00 GMT) in Yaoundé, amid tight security and mounting fears of further unrest.