VIOLENT PROTESTS SPREAD ACROSS CAMEROUN AS OPPOSITION LEADERS DISAGREE WITH RESULTS ANNOUNCING BIYA REELECTED AFTER 42 YEARS IN POWER

Dalhatu Liman

Violence continues to spread across Cameroon just one day after the Constitutional Council declared President Paul Biya the winner of the country’s disputed presidential election.

The announcement has triggered a wave of unrest, with reports of arson, looting, and clashes erupting in the commercial city of Douala, and Mbouda, Bertoua, and Batouri cities.

Journalists on the ground report that acts of arson, explosions, and looting are ongoing in Douala, Mbouda, and Bertoua.

The central police station in Bertoua is reportedly under threat. In Batouri, located in the eastern region, protesters have taken to the streets, and clashes are intensifying.

In Mbanga, Njombé, and Souza, rumors of Ambazonian presence have prompted teachers to send children home, adding to the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

Security forces have responded with live ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse demonstrators. What began as peaceful protests has evolved into chaos in several cities.

Security forces have reportedly recovered bags of rice stolen during the unrest in Douala.

One of the journalists added that the situation remains fluid, with more regions potentially joining the unrest in the coming days or later in the day.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Africa has urged Cameroonian authorities to respect, protect, and facilitate the right to peaceful assembly, and is calling for a prompt, independent, and impartial investigation into the reported deaths during the protests.