🔗 Share this article

The nation's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has declared that opposition leader Tchiroma Bakary will undergo legal proceedings over accusations that he incited "violent electoral rallies".

No fewer than four demonstrators have been fatally wounded during clashes between police and military and protesters since the electoral process on 12 October, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya winning an eighth term in office.

Tchiroma Bakary asserts that he emerged victorious, a assertion rejected by the incumbent party, the ruling CPDM.

Aggressive responses by law enforcement on demonstrators have concerned the global community, with the UN, AU and EU demanding restraint.

Minister's Allegations

Earlier this week, the interior minister accused Tchiroma Bakary of planning what he referred to as "illegal" demonstrations leading to the deaths, and also condemned him for announcing success in the electoral contest.

He noted that Tchiroma Bakary's "associates behind an insurrectionary plan" will also undergo judicial processes.

Election Results

The president, who assumed office in 1982 and is now the world's oldest head of state, obtained the October 12 election with 53.7% of the vote, compared to a significant minority for his opponent, according to the electoral authority.

Challenger's Position

Issa Tchiroma is has not yet commented to the authorities' move to prosecute him, but he had previously declared that he refused to acknowledge a rigged election - and that he was undaunted of being detained.

On election result day, he said that gunmen shot on protesters present near his home in Garoua, killing at least two civilians.

Investigation Revealed

Earlier this week, the government official announced that an probe would be launched into clashes surrounding the publication of the election results.

"During these attacks, some of the criminals were killed," he stated, without giving a specific number of protesters who have been lost their lives in the clashes.

The minister further mentioned that multiple officers of the security forces also received serious injuries.

Present Conditions

Although Nji asserted the state of affairs nationwide was now manageable, demonstrators continue to protest in various areas of the country, especially in these two cities, where demonstrators mounted barricades on that day, and burnt tyres on the roads.

Experts warn that the election-related unrest could push the country into a governmental instability.