Cameroon: Silence over opposition leader death condemned

The family of Anicet Ekane, a prominent Cameroonian opposition leader who died in state custody on December 1st, 2025, have denounced the silence surrounding the investigation into his death, according to RFI and agencies on January 12th.

Ekane was a supporter of Issa Tchiroma, who was running against President Paul Biya in the presidential election on October 12th; his family have denounced a “total blackout” of information surrounding his death from authorities.

The 78-year-old’s body is still held in the morgue of the Yaoundé Central Hospital, and lawyers acting on his family’s behalf have requested the release of his body. However, they have not received a response.

According to lawyer Emmanuel Simh, “Anicet Ekane’s family is completely disconnected from what is happening, from the investigation and the autopsy that was performed to the fate of the politician’s remains.”

Civil society groups condemned Ekane’s death, with his detention and subsequent death being described as “a shock to civil society. Ekane was subjected to arbitrary detention for over 30 days, a clear violation of fundamental rights and Cameroon’s international commitments.”

Ekane’s health had been deteriorating in the days prior to his death, with his defence team saying he was “severely ill” and “barely able to speak.”

Biya was declared the winner of the election on October 27th, having secured 53.66% of the vote. The result, which cannot be overturned, has been contested by supporters of Tchiroma, who have been arrested and detained for protesting the result.

The 92-year-old has held office since 1982, and his administration has faced criticism over allegations of corruption, embezzlement, poor governance, and failure to address pressing issues.

He abolished term limits in 2008, making him eligible to run for re-election as many times as he likes; by winning another seven-year term, Biya will remain president until he is nearly 100 years old.

Protestors have faced a violent crackdown from Cameroonian authorities, with a UN report released on November 4th estimating that at least 48 people have been killed by security forces since October.

Both Tchiroma and Biya had claimed victory on October 20th, which led to the government announcing legal measures against premature victory claims; young Cameroonians kept watch over Tchiroma’s house, fearing he would be arrested.

It was reported on November 24th that Tchiroma, fearing legal action from the government, had sought refuge in Gambia. On October 28th, Tchiroma was accused by Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji of inciting “violent post-election demonstrations.”

RFI and agencies, Maghrebi.org