Cameroon Opposition Figure Confronts Legal Proceedings Regarding Post-Election Violence, Government Declares
The nation's Interior Minister the interior minister has stated that political opponent Issa Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action over claims that he provoked "aggressive post-election demonstrations".
A minimum of 4 demonstrators have been lost their lives during skirmishes between law enforcement and opposition supporters since the presidential election on October 12, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya securing an eighth presidential mandate.
Tchiroma Bakary maintains that he won the election, a claim rejected by the governing party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).
Forceful measures by law enforcement on protesters have alarmed the global community, with the UN, African Union and European Union calling for restraint.
Minister's Allegations
On Tuesday, the interior minister alleged the opposition figure of coordinating what he referred to as "illegal" rallies leading to the loss of lives, and also rebuked him for claiming win in the election.
He noted that the opposition leader's "co-conspirators involved in an insurrectionary plan" will also undergo judicial processes.
Vote Outcome
Paul Biya, who came to power in 1982 and is now the most elderly national leader, obtained the October 12 vote with 53.7% of the ballots, compared to a significant minority for his opponent, according to Cameroon's Constitutional Council.
Challenger's Position
Issa Tchiroma is has not yet commented to the authorities' move to bring him to court, but he had earlier announced that he would not accept a fraudulent outcome - and that he was not afraid of being taken into custody.
Following the vote count, he said that armed men shot on protesters assembled near his residence in the city of Garoua, fatally wounding at least 2 civilians.
Inquiry Revealed
Earlier this week, the government official disclosed that an inquiry would be initiated into clashes before and after the publication of the election results.
"In the course of these incidents, some of the criminals lost their lives," he stated, without giving a specific number of protesters who have been killed in the clashes.
The minister added that a number of personnel of the police and military also suffered serious injuries.
Ongoing Circumstances
While Nji asserted the situation across the country was now manageable, demonstrators remain active in certain regions of the country, especially in these two cities, where protesters mounted barricades on Tuesday, and burnt tyres on the thoroughfares.
Experts caution that the post-electoral violence could plunge the nation into a governmental instability.