Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who is contesting the outcome of the presidential election, has fled to The Gambia for his safety, The Gambian government has said.

Tchiroma Bakary has insisted he is the legitimate winner of the 12 October election, alleging that the result was rigged to give President Paul Biya, 92, an eighth term.

The Gambian information ministry said on Sunday that Tchiroma Bakary arrived on 7 November and was allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds.

Cameroon’s government had threatened to put him on trial for allegedly inciting violent post-election demonstrations. He denied the allegation, and blamed the security forces for a crackdown on protesters.

The government put the number of people killed in post-election violence at 16, but other organisations have given a higher death toll.

Tchiroma Bakary has repeatedly promised to resist Biya’s government until his “victory” in the election is recognised.

Biya, the world’s oldest president, has been in power for 43 years, and was declared the winner with 53.7% of the vote amid allegations of fraud.

Tchiroma Bakary, who served in Biya’s government for many years, came second with 35.2%.

His resistance tactics have included calling for street protests and “ghost town” operations aimed at bringing cities and towns to a standstill.

Tchiroma Bakary: From government spin doctor to Cameroon president’s main rival

The 92-year-old president who never loses

Until The Gambian government confirmed his presence, his whereabouts had remained a mystery although there was speculation that he had fled to another country in the region.

“He is being hosted temporarily in The Gambia purely on humanitarian grounds in the spirit of African solidarity and for the purpose of ensuring his safety while discussions continue to pursue a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the post-electoral tensions in Cameroon,” The Gambian government said in a statement.

The Gambian authorities said the country would not be used as a “base for subversive activity against any state”.

The BBC has reached out to the Cameroonian government for comment.

Reacting to the announcement, The Gambia’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) criticised the government for withholding the announcement of Tchiroma Bakary’s arrival until Sunday.

It said it raised “serious questions about transparency, accountability, and respect for The Gambian people’s right to know what actions are taken in their name”.

However, the party said it was proud that Tchiroma Bakary could find “safe sanctuary” in The Gambia, adding that it was fully aware of how “despotism operates and how dissenters are treated”.

Source: BBC

Switzerland positioned itself once again as a potential mediation partner in Cameroon. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter sent a congratulatory message to President Paul Biya on 7 November, following his re-election, and released the message publicly on 19 November. She stated Switzerland’s readiness to mobilise its diplomatic and institutional expertise at a time when the post-election climate remains tense and contested. The offer places Yaoundé before a test of its willingness to pursue inclusive political dialogue.

“The Swiss Confederation follows the post-electoral situation in Cameroon closely,” Keller-Sutter wrote, calling on political actors to engage in “constructive dialogue” capable of producing political solutions that reflect the aspirations of the entire population, “notably those of youth and women.” By explicitly targeting these groups, Bern anchored its message in both political stability and social expectations beyond electoral litigation alone.

A Diplomatic Offer Grounded in Longstanding Partnership

Beyond protocol, the Swiss letter carries specific diplomatic weight. It reiterates Bern’s readiness to support Cameroon in designing inclusive political solutions. “As a long-standing partner to Cameroon, Switzerland stands ready to share its expertise in this field,” Keller-Sutter said. Switzerland’s expertise covers mediation, governance, political dialogue and peace processes—areas where Swiss diplomacy enjoys an established international reputation.

The offer aligns with Switzerland’s past involvement in the Anglophone crisis that has affected the North-West and South-West regions since late October 2016. In 2019, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) said it had been “mandated” by a majority of stakeholders to facilitate negotiations between the Cameroonian government, political opposition and separatist actors.

This process, conducted with the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, produced several preparatory meetings in Switzerland. Despite initial optimism, disagreements among the parties slowed the initiative, which did not result in a formal dialogue. Still, this experience remains a reference for observers who view Switzerland as a credible interlocutor to support crisis resolution and to assess the willingness of actors to commit to negotiation.

Post-Election Tensions Raise Stakes for Dialogue

The 12 October 2025 presidential election also left behind a tense environment marked by disputes, opposition claims and accusations of irregularities. The Constitutional Council declared Paul Biya the winner with 53.66% of the vote, but the political landscape remains polarised. Against this backdrop, Switzerland’s initiative appears as a facilitation offer designed to prevent political escalation and encourage a return to consultation. It also tests the readiness of authorities and political forces to accept a structured mediation framework.

The Swiss message comes as Biya, inaugurated on 6 November, declared that youth and women would lie at the centre of his new seven-year term, emphasising reforms and stronger engagement with citizen expectations. Switzerland, consistent with its neutral mediation posture, now seeks to support institutional stability during Cameroon’s new political phase. How Yaoundé receives this offer will provide a critical indicator of the political system’s openness and its ability to manage medium-term destabilisation risks.

Source: Sbbc

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with President Paul Biya to congratulate him on his inauguration.

During their conversation, the Secretary and the President discussed deepening the partnership between the United States and Cameroon to advance shared goals, including strengthening security as well as achieving regional peace and prosperity for both nations.

The Secretary commended Cameroon for its role as a partner in the fight against terrorism.

The Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Masséna Ngalle Bibehe, met road transport associations in Yaoundé on 4 November 2025 to outline measures designed to revive an activity weakened by post-electoral tensions. The ministry announced a temporary suspension of roadside prevention and road-safety operations conducted jointly with the National Gendarmerie.

The minister issued a 12 November note ordering all decentralized services to halt these operations on national roads. The ministry maintained sensitisation activities and compliance monitoring in bus stations, travel agencies, driving schools and schools.

Gendarmerie Warns of Growing Confusion

The measure prompted an immediate reaction from the National Gendarmerie, which fears the risk of disorder on the roads. In a 10 November letter addressed to the Transport Minister — which subsequently leaked online — the Secretary of State to the Minister of Defence in charge of the Gendarmerie (SED), Galax Etoga, warned of “abuses observed” since the minister’s communication.

He reported rising tensions between transporters and road units. Some truck drivers now reject any form of control, claiming that “all controls have been lifted by the Ministry of Transport”. Mixed checkpoints placed at city entrances are also being challenged.

Given the situation, the SED urged the ministry to provide “clarification” to avoid escalation “during this sensitive period”. Etoga instructed road units to suspend, until further notice, all fines and all checks specifically suspended by the minister, including weight-listing controls. He stressed that the Gendarmerie has not dismantled its security checkpoints, insisting that units continue to secure the network “without harassment”.

A Long-Standing Institutional Dispute

The incident revives an older conflict about authority over road-safety enforcement. In 2012, President Paul Biya settled overlapping responsibilities by assigning all repression of road infractions exclusively to the Gendarmerie and the Police, while directing the Transport Ministry toward prevention, sensitisation and road-safety education. The ministry’s control equipment was formally transferred to security forces.

The friction, however, persists on the ground. According to Galax Etoga, “agents of the Ministry of Transport encroach on the prerogatives of the security forces” by conducting “repressive” controls, which confuse road users. He requested that the equipment used by these agents be returned to the Gendarmerie to reinforce the national road-safety system.

The Gendarmerie said it has already adjusted its deployments to ease traffic, through more escorts, patrols and support operations. It called for a tripartite dialogue involving the Transport Ministry, the General Delegation for National Security and the Gendarmerie to establish clear, definitive divisions of responsibility.

Sector Awaits Ministerial Clarifications

The ministry is now expected to issue the clarifications requested by the SED. Transport operators face rising uncertainty in a sector already weakened by the post-electoral climate.

Analysis

The partial suspension of roadside controls, issued without a unified enforcement protocol, created a regulatory vacuum that encouraged misunderstandings and opportunistic behaviour. In a post-electoral environment, the issue extends beyond traffic fluidity and touches directly on the credibility of the state as regulator. Aligning mandates — prevention for the ministry, enforcement for security forces — and publishing joint, binding instructions appear necessary to restore legal clarity and operational stability.

Source: Sbbc

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Cameroonian security forces of using lethal force, committing killings, and arbitrarily detaining hundreds in a violent crackdown following the disputed presidential election on 12 October.

In a report released on Wednesday, November 12, in Nairobi, HRW said police and gendarmes fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse opposition-led protests challenging President Paul Biya’s re-election, officially declared on 27 October with 53.66% of the vote.

Witness testimonies, including from relatives of victims, lawyers, and opposition figures, documented multiple killings, injuries, and arrests across several cities, with UN sources reporting 48 deaths and opposition groups claiming 55.

The rights group said hundreds of people, including minors, have been detained since the unrest, with legal aid sources reporting as many as 2,000 detainees nationwide, many without appearing before a judge. HRW’s senior Africa researcher, Ilaria Allegrozzi, called on Cameroonian authorities to release all peaceful protesters, investigate and prosecute those responsible for violence, and ensure due process for all detainees.

Cameroon’s Government, through Communications Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi, defended the security operations, saying authorities were responding to “illegal gatherings, roadblocks and violent mobs,” and warned that those inciting unrest would face the full force of the law. President Biya, the world’s longest-serving head of state since 1982, removed presidential term limits in 2008 and continues to maintain power amid allegations of electoral fraud, with his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, having declared himself the winner.

Source: Medafricatimes

We, the undersigned organisations, express our deep concern over the disappearance of freelance journalist Hans Achomba since November 5, 2025. To date, his whereabouts remain unknown. We urge the police to investigate the matter and ascertain his whereabouts swiftly.

Before his disappearance, Achomba was questioned by the police on Monday, November 3, over his reporting and social media posts in the build-up to the October 12 elections in Cameroon. Following the elections, protests erupted, resulting in widespread violence, with at least four people killed allegedly by security forces, dozens injured, and hundreds more arrested across the country, according to Human Rights Watch.

When he was questioned by the police on November 3, the police are also reported to have confiscated Achomba’s National Identity Card and Passport. Achomba was supposed to return to the Bamenda Police Station with his lawyer on November 6 at 10:00 am. However, he did not appear at the police station. His lawyer also updated that an attempt was made to verify if he was in police custody, but the police indicated that he had not been detained. Efforts by his family, colleagues, and his lawyer to ascertain his whereabouts have been unsuccessful.

While it is not clear whether Achomba’s disappearance is related to his professional work, these circumstances raise serious concerns about the safety of journalists and the state of media freedom in Cameroon.

In 2017, Achomba was also arrested and detained for several months on accusations of complicity in hostility against the fatherland, secession, propagation of false news, insurrection, incitement to civil war, and complicity in acts of terrorism. He had been seen speaking to a cyclist about why he was on the streets during a time when there were a series of protests, strikes, and shutdowns in the country’s English-speaking regions. He was later released in September 2017 after the office of President Paul Biya announced that Cameroon was ending criminal proceedings against those detained during the period of unrest.

We continue to stand in solidarity with the journalists and the media community in Cameroon, and hope for Achomba’s safe return.

African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX)

Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC)

Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE)

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO)

Initiative for Embracing Humanity in Africa

International Press Institute (IPI)

Kenya Union of Journalists

MISA Mozambique

Moxii Africa (Rebranding from Media Monitoring Africa)

Panos Institute Southern Africa

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF)

Southern Africa Editors Forum (SAEF)

The African Editors Forum (TAEF)

West African Editors Society (WAES)

Zambia Free Press Initiative

A recent article published by Bruno Bidjang, a pro-Cameroon-government journalist, on Atanga Nji’s CFAF 57 million to the ruling CPDM and the government of Cameroon in 1988, has triggered a wave of criticism, with many Cameroonians, many of whom do not have details about Atanga Nji’s wealth and his rise to power, indicating that the Cameroonian territorial administration minister is a crook and had served time in the New Bell Maximum Security Prison.

Cameroon Concord News, Anglophone Cameroon’s premier investigative journalism platform, has decided to conduct an impartial investigation into the minister’s activities with a view to clarifying certain things. Politically, Atanga Nji comes across like a callous and intimidating person, but a family member of the territorial administration minister has decided to shed light on the life of the businessman cum politician to debunk some of the lies which make Mr. Atanga Nji look like an old demon who is still living with humans. The minister’s family member opted for anonymity and Cameroon Concord News Group is helping Cameroonians to know the other side of Mr. Atanga Nji’s life.

Cameroon Concord News: You are related to Mr. Atanga Nji, Cameroon’s territorial administration minister, and you feel hurt when you hear some of the things people who do not know him say about him. What is the other side of the story?

Answer: I have known Mr. Atanga Nji Paul for a long time and I am hurt to hear some of the false stories that are told about him. Far from being a monster and a crook, Paul Atanga Nji is a very hardworking person who from birth had an eye for business opportunities. By the age of 27, Minister Atanga Nji had posted some good business results which enabled him to reach out to the government and the CPDM and this put the spotlight on a young Cameroon who actually came from a rich family and owned a bank in Douala known as Highland bank. His father was a businessman and Mr. Atanga Nji’s business ability might have come from his dad who was well known in the entire Northwest region.

Cameroon Concord News: So why it is always reported that Atanga did some time in New Bell for financial malfeasance?

Answer: The story that he went to prison is false and baseless. Many Cameroonians do not know how processes work in their country and many depend on rumor as their source of information which is indeed unfortunate. There is no record of Mr. Atanga Nji being tried and convicted of a crime. The reality is that he had a business transaction sometime back when he was young, where he imported some Becks beer legally. When the ship arrived, he borrowed some money from a bank whose name I will protect, to complete the clearing operation which is what any normal businessman will do. He paid his loan upon selling his stock of drinks. Shortly after the operation, two of the bank’s staff who were managing accounts for high net worth borrowers disappeared from the country to Canada, absconding with the bank’s money.

As we all know, Cameroon has its processes which sometimes could be complicated. As the matter was reported to the authorities, all the names of those who were managing client accounts and the names of the clients themselves were submitted to the police. The authorities therefore decided to arrest both the clients and the staff managing the accounts for questioning with a view to establishing the truth. 

Cameroon Concord News: So that was how Mr. Atanga Nji was arrested with other people?

Answer: Yes. The truth had to see the light of day and after a thorough investigation, it was established that the clients, including Atanga Nji were innocent. The fault was clearly that of the two bank staff who had absconded to Canada. Mr.  Atanga was released and there was no probable cause for him to be convicted. But as you know, the damage to their reputation had already been done given that they were detained for a short while. No Cameroonian has ever bothered to investigate this matter to bring out the truth. Cameroonians love rumor and it can be said that many Cameroonians dislike Mr. Atanga Nji because of his political beliefs and he seem to be a poster boy of the regime. Nobody has brought out any records of his conviction in Cameroon. The rumor has been spreading and each time you read a story relating to his detention, you will see new additions. Nobody has ever mentioned the name of the trial judge who convicted him and no one has ever mentioned how long he was in jail. I am using this opportunity to debunk what many haters are spreading about a man who believes in hard work. He is not a saint but we should relate nothing but the facts.

Cameroon Concord News: What happened after Mr. Atanga Nji and others were released?

Answer: The reputational damage was huge and Minister Atanga Nji and others felt that the bank which had destroyed their reputation must pay for its mistake. The bank was therefore taken to court in a class action suit and the bank lost. Minister Atanga and the others won their case and things were settled as they should be settled. It is this story of his life that some unscrupulous and hate- filled Cameroonians will not report online. On the contrary, they will take the story which lacks basic legal truths to the Internet because they want to destroy the man’s reputation.

Cameroon Concord News: And what about the story concerning his twin brother?

Answer:  It is also true that he had a twin brother who passed away in a motor accident. Many people have been spreading the false news that he has been using his brother’s name to run his affairs. For those of us who are related to him, we know that his name is Paul Atanga Nji and that has always been his name. Those who went to boarding school with him know him and his twin brother. They know that he is called Paul Atanga Nji and has always been known as such. Strangely, some shameless people in an effort to gain clout and attention on social media will always twist everything to smear him. 

Cameroon Concord News: The same article published by Bruno Bidjang focused on his humanitarian activities but many people always suspect Atanga Nji’s intentions. What can you say about this?

Answer: As you know, falsehood always spreads faster than the truth and sometimes even those who have benefitted from Atanga Nji’s largesse could be reluctant to speak in his support because of his affiliation to the ruling party and the way some malicious persons have painted him. Paul Atanga Nji might be rough on the edges but he is soft on the inside. He has helped and made so many people from Cameroon’s Anglophone community and from his native Mezam to become dollar millionaires. He shares his business intelligence with those who come close to him and has supported many people financially. The beneficiaries of his largesse are all over the country. He has his own ways of governing but those who know him know that he is a very kind person.

Cameroon Concord News: Thank you, sir, for   presenting a different side of the Paul Atanga Nji story. We hope some Cameroonians will conduct more investigations to shed more light on this story.

Answer: It is my pleasure to set certain things right. I know the truth will always prevail. There are no saints on earth and it is irrational of anybody to create monsters where there are none.

Note to the public: Cameroon Concord News, known for its impartiality, is inviting anyone who has a different version of the Atanga Nji story to contact its editor. Our mission is to tell the truth and we are committed to staying impartial.

By Rita Akana in Yaoundé

Cameroon’s opposition continues to contest the result of the latest presidential election. Presidential runner-up Issa Tchiroma Bakary gave authorities a 48-hour ultimatum to release all prisoners arrested in the protests that followed the re-election of Paul Biya.

In a video posted on social media on Sunday, Tchiroma accused the government of “state gangsterism and state terrorism.”

He also asked authorities to stop practices that he said include “ethnic purges.”

“The Cameroonian people no longer want them, the Cameroonian people can no longer tolerate them,” he said.

Tchiroma came second in the presidential election with 35.19% of the vote, finishing behind behind Paul Biya who scored 53.66%, according to official results. But the opposition leader considers himself the president-elect of Cameroon.

Tchiroma is believed to have left Cameroon for Nigeria shortly after the election. He has been calling on Cameroonian people to protest alleged electoral fraud, including through “ghost town” protests.

Cameroonian security forces killed 48 people in a crackdown on post-election demonstrations according to a Reuters report based on UN sources. The government says at least five people died.

Paul Biya was official sworn in on Thursday and called for an end to violence.

“I appeal to everyone’s sense of responsibility. I’m addressing all those who are working to incite hatred and violence in our country, particularly some of our compatriots in the diaspora,” he said.

“Cameroon does not need a post-election crisis with potentially dramatic consequences, as has been seen elsewhere.”

If his ultimatum is not respected, Tchiroma warned authorities that Cameroonian people “will feel free not only to protect themselves but also to do everything possible to protect their children and recover them wherever they are”

Source: Africa News

Cameroon’s 92-year-old leader Paul Biya has been sworn in for another seven years as president in a ceremony at the country’s parliament in Yaoundé.

Biya won a controversial eighth term in a fiercely disputed election last month.

He has been in power for 43 years, and addressed only one campaign rally before the election.

The nonagenarian, the world’s oldest head of state, won 54% of the vote, compared to the 35% of Issa Tchiroma Bakary, according to the official results. Tchiroma Bakary maintains he was the rightful winner of the poll and has accused the authorities of fraud, which they have denied.

The announcement of the result led to deadly protests across the country.

The authorities say at least four people were killed but the Reuters news agency puts the figure at 48, citing two United Nations sources.

Judges on the Constitutional Council had dismissed eight complaints about the election, citing insufficient evidence of irregularities or a lack of jurisdiction to annul results.

Earlier this week, Tchiroma Bakary’s call for a stay-at-home protest was heeded by many people, with streets deserted especially in his strongholds of Garoua and Douala.

The opposition leader was a former government information minister who broke ranks with Biya to challenge him for power.

He has refused to file an official complaint.

Source: BBC