By Peter Omopo
October 27, 2025 | Yaoundé — At least four people were confirmed dead on Sunday following violent clashes between security forces and supporters of Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who claims victory in the country’s disputed presidential election.
The violence erupted in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, a day before the Constitutional Council is expected to announce the official results of the October 12 presidential poll.
Tchiroma, who mounted a serious challenge to President Paul Biya’s 43-year rule, had called on his supporters to march peacefully despite a government ban on public gatherings. The 74-year-old opposition figure insists he won 54.8 percent of the vote, while analysts widely predict that Biya, 92, will secure an eighth consecutive term in office.
Regional governor Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua confirmed the fatalities, saying demonstrators “attacked” a gendarmerie brigade and police stations in two districts. “Four people unfortunately lost their lives, and several members of the security forces were also injured,” he told reporters.
Eyewitnesses said the confrontation began after security forces fired tear gas to disperse crowds before allegedly opening fire with live ammunition. Protesters later showed AFP journalists spent bullet casings collected near the scene.
“They fired — three people, three bodies fell in front of us,” one demonstrator said, requesting anonymity.
Earlier in the day, police also fired teargas to disperse crowds in Garoua, Tchiroma’s northern stronghold, where hundreds of supporters waved Cameroonian flags and chanted slogans such as “Goodbye Paul Biya, Tchiroma is coming.”
In Yaoundé, the capital, heavy security presence appeared to deter any major demonstrations. However, in Douala, several dozen people gathered near the airport, defying the protest ban issued by local authorities.
Tensions have been rising since Friday when two opposition coalition leaders who endorsed Tchiroma’s candidacy were reportedly arrested in Douala.
The Constitutional Council is set to declare the final election results at 11:00 a.m. local time (10:00 GMT) on Monday in Yaoundé.
Observers fear the outcome could deepen Cameroon’s political crisis and spark further unrest in the Central African nation, where President Biya’s long rule has been marked by allegations of electoral manipulation, corruption, and a worsening security situation.
