Tchiroma says loyal soldiers escorted him to safety ⁰

Issa Tchiroma Bakary said on Friday he had been escorted to a secure location by soldiers loyal to him for his protection, a move that could signal a split within the army following a disputed election.

Tchiroma had been holed up in his house in the northern city of Garoua since a presidential election on October 12 in which he claimed victory.

Protests swept through major cities and towns across Cameroon on 27 October, after electoral authorities declared that incumbent Paul Biya, who has been president for the past 43 years, had won re-election.

Official counts gave him 53.66 per cent of the vote, with his main opponent Tchiroma Bakary garnering 35.19 per cent. But the opposition is in an uproar over what it sees as a rigged election.

Tally sheets posted from polling stations by civil society groups and opposition parties appear to show Tchiroma prevailing by a convincing margin.

With neither side willing to back down, the risks of worsening unrest are high. Thousands have taken to the streets, demanding recognition of the opposition’s apparent victory.

By Rita Akana with files from Reuters and International Crisis Group