Cameroon Shaken as Opposition Titan Dies After Brutal Weeks in Detention
Cameroon’s foremost opposition figure, Anicet Ekane, has passed away at 74 after enduring weeks in custody, his legal team and relatives announced on Monday. They contend that he suffered severe breathing difficulties yet was denied adequate medical attention throughout his detention.
Ekane was taken into custody in late October together with other senior members of his African Movement for New Independence and Democracy as nationwide unrest surged over allegations of electoral manipulation in the presidential race. He was accused of insurrection, according to his attorney, Emmanuel Simh, who spoke to The Associated Press.
“Mr. Ekane was gravely ill, and he was refused the specialized care he desperately needed,” Simh lamented. “We remain overwhelmed by grief and disbelief. Ekane violated no law, so we require clarity on why he was seized and effectively left to deteriorate in a gendarmerie detention cell.”
Cameroon’s communication minister, Rene Emmanuel Sadi, conveyed the state’s condolences and announced that President Paul Biya has ordered a full inquiry into the events surrounding Ekane’s death.
Ekane was among the prominent voices contesting the outcome of the October 12 election, in which Biya—at 92, the world’s oldest sitting president—was proclaimed victor once again. His challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, insisted he was the rightful winner and urged the population to reject the official tally.
On Monday, the defense ministry stated that Ekane died “as a result of an illness” and confirmed that an investigation has begun.
According to the ministry, “The deceased, who battled multiple chronic conditions, had long been admitted to the National Gendarmerie Military Medical Center. He was receiving appropriate treatment from the Military Medical Corps in coordination with his personal doctors, and additional follow-up in nearby civilian hospitals.”
However, Ekane’s political party—along with the Union for Change coalition he headed—issued statements alleging he was “assassinated,” demanding an international probe into his death.
His eldest son, Muna Ekane, told the AP that his father’s condition dramatically worsened on Sunday.
“For an entire week he struggled to breathe; he was literally gasping for air,” he said. “He received a diagnosis while detained, but no meaningful treatment followed. Eating became almost impossible. We spent days alerting authorities about his declining state, yet nothing was done.”
He described the illness only as “respiratory complications” and said he believed his father was targeted for supporting Tchiroma, who fled to Gambia last month.
After the official results were proclaimed, violent demonstrations erupted across major opposition strongholds. While the government reported 16 deaths, opposition leaders and human rights groups say the toll exceeds 55 fatalities.
The European Union has since called for the release of all individuals “arbitrarily detained” in the aftermath of the election.
Source: Araba Sey
