Four Killed in Cameroon as Election Protests Turn Deadly Ahead of Results

At least four people were killed in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, as police clashed with protesters demanding the release of presidential election results. The violence erupted on Sunday, October 26, 2025, when hundreds of opposition supporters defied a protest ban and took to the streets, claiming the recent election had been rigged.

Supporters of opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma barricaded roads, set tyres ablaze, and hurled rocks at police, according to Reuters. Security forces responded with tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. Regional governor Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua confirmed that protesters later attacked police stations in two districts of Douala, leading to several injuries among officers. “Four people, unfortunately, lost their lives,” he said. Tchiroma’s campaign team also confirmed the deaths.

What triggered the deadly protests in Cameroon?

The clashes came after partial results from the October 12 election, reported by local media, showed 92-year-old President Paul Biya leading for what would be his eighth consecutive term. However, Tchiroma claimed victory, saying he secured 54.8 percent of the votes against Biya’s 31.3 percent. He urged Cameroonians to rise up if the Constitutional Council announced what he called “falsified and distorted results.”

Government officials rejected accusations of election irregularities, urging citizens to remain calm and await the official results, expected on Monday, October 27. Despite this, protests have since spread across several cities, including Yaounde, Garoua, Maroua, Bertoua, and Bafoussam.

Why are young Cameroonians leading the demonstrations?

Journalist Blaise Eyong, reporting from Douala, told Al Jazeera that the protests reflect widespread frustration among young people. “You can really see the frustration and anger when you talk to young people,” Eyong said, noting high youth unemployment and disillusionment with the government. He added that despite reports of internet blackouts, “that has not stopped young people from coming together.”

Earlier in the day, Tchiroma’s campaign reported that about 30 politicians and activists supporting his bid had been arrested, including Anicet Ekane, leader of the MANIDEM party, and Djeukam Tchameni of the Union for Change movement. The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, described the arrests as part of an operation targeting an “insurrectional movement,” though he declined to provide specific details.

President Biya, in power since 1982, is currently the world’s oldest serving ruler. If confirmed for another seven-year term, he would remain in office until nearly 100 years old. Tchiroma, a former minister and once Biya’s ally, maintains that he won the election and “will not accept any other result.”

By Lucky Anyanje