🔗 Share this article Cameroon Opposition Figure to Face Court Action Concerning Electoral Turmoil, Authorities Declares Many in Cameroon express anger that the president has won an eighth term Cameroon's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has announced that political opponent Issa Tchiroma Bakary will be prosecuted over allegations that he incited "aggressive election protests". No fewer than 4 demonstrators have been lost their lives during clashes between law enforcement and opposition supporters since Cameroon's election on 12 October, with the 92-year-old head of state obtaining an eighth presidential mandate. The opposition leader maintains that he was the true winner, a statement rejected by the governing party, the CPDM. Violent crackdowns by law enforcement on protesters have alarmed the world leaders, with the UN, African Union and European Union demanding restraint. Official's Accusations On Tuesday, Nji alleged Tchiroma Bakary of coordinating what he described as "illegal" demonstrations resulting in the deaths, and also condemned him for declaring victory in the election. He further stated that Tchiroma Bakary's "co-conspirators behind an insurrectionary plan" will also undergo judicial processes. Vote Outcome The president, who assumed office in 1982 and is now the world's oldest head of state, won the October 12 vote with over half of the vote, compared to just over a third for the challenger, according to Cameroon's Constitutional Council. Opposition Response The opposition figure is remains silent to the authorities' move to try him, but he had previously stated that he would not accept a rigged election - and that he was not afraid of being arrested. Following the vote count, he reported that security forces opened fire on protesters assembled near his house in Garoua, causing the death of at least two individuals. Investigation Revealed On Tuesday, the interior minister announced that an investigation would be initiated into clashes before and after the declaration of the vote outcome. "In the course of these incidents, some of the perpetrators were killed," he stated, without providing a specific number of protesters who have been fatally injured in the clashes. Nji further mentioned that several personnel of the police and military also suffered significant wounds. Current Situation Even though the interior minister asserted the state of affairs across the country was now manageable, protesters remain active in some parts of the country, especially in these two cities, where protesters established obstructions on that day, and ignited rubber on the streets. Experts alert that the post-electoral violence could lead the nation into a leadership vacuum.