Four killed in Cameroon protests as 92-year-old Paul Biya re-elected president

YAOUNDE — At least four people have been confirmed dead following violent clashes between security forces and supporters of Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma, ahead of the official announcement of the country’s presidential election results.

The unrest erupted on Sunday in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, after Tchiroma, who contested the October 12 presidential poll against long-serving President Paul Biya, called on his supporters to stage peaceful demonstrations despite a ban on public gatherings.

Tchiroma, a former minister, claims to have secured 54.8 percent of the vote, although most observers expect 92-year-old Biya to clinch an eighth term in office amid growing concerns over electoral transparency.

According to the Governor of the Littoral Region, Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, protesters attacked a gendarmerie brigade and police stations in two districts of Douala, prompting a forceful response from security personnel.

“Four people unfortunately lost their lives,” Diboua said, adding that several security officers were also injured in the confrontation.

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Eyewitnesses told AFP that security forces fired live ammunition after initially deploying tear gas to disperse the crowd. Protesters displayed bullet casings they claimed were recovered from the scene.

Earlier on Sunday, police also used tear gas to break up a rally in Garoua, Tchiroma’s stronghold in the north, where demonstrators waved Cameroonian flags and chanted slogans such as “Tchiroma 2025” and “Goodbye Paul Biya, Tchiroma is coming.”

Tensions have been building for days, with dozens of Tchiroma’s supporters camping outside his residence. In a video posted Sunday, the opposition leader alleged that military personnel attempted to arrest him.

In Yaounde, the capital, a heavy police presence appeared to deter planned protests, while in Douala, an AFP journalist reported seeing small groups of demonstrators near the airport in defiance of a ban on public assembly.

Two opposition figures aligned with Tchiroma’s coalition—Djeukam Tchameni of the Cameroonian Movement for Democracy and Interdependence, and Anicet Ekane of the African Movement for Cameroon’s New Independence—were reportedly arrested at their homes in Douala on Friday.

Meanwhile, internet disruptions have been reported across the country, with digital rights group NetBlocks warning that the outages could hinder coverage of unfolding events.

Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, on Saturday accused the opposition of attempting to incite unrest, saying the protests were part of “an insurrectionist project.”

The Constitutional Council is expected to announce the final election results at 11:00 a.m. local time on Monday in Yaounde.

Four killed in Cameroon protests as 92-year-old Paul Biya re-elected president