Cameroon Opposition Leader Dies in Custody, Sparking Calls for Accountability
Veteran opposition leader Anicet Ekane, 74, has died while in Cameroonian detention, raising concerns over prison conditions and political repression. Arrested after the October presidential election, Ekane reportedly lacked adequate medical care during detention. Human-rights groups are calling for an independent investigation as tensions rise over the treatment of opposition figures in Cameroon.
Cameroon is facing political turbulence after the death of Anicet Ekane, a 74-year-old opposition leader, while in detention, prompting renewed scrutiny over prison conditions and government accountability. Reporting by MyJoyOnline and AP News indicates that Ekane, a veteran politician and head of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM), died on Monday morning after being held at a military garrison in Yaoundé.
Ekane was arrested on 24 October following widespread protests over the 12 October presidential election, which extended President Paul Biya’s 92-year rule. His detention, according to family and party sources, was arbitrary; he had not been formally charged before his arrest. Ekane reportedly suffered severe respiratory issues during detention and, according to his family, was denied adequate medical care. Authorities, however, said he was hospitalized at the National Gendarmerie Military Medical Centre, with both government and personal doctors attending him, and have opened an investigation into his death.
News24 reported that Ekane’s party alleges that vital medical equipment, including an oxygen concentrator, was seized at the time of his arrest, a move they say contributed to his death. Human-rights groups and civil-society activists have condemned the handling of Ekane, calling for an independent inquiry and accountability from the state.
Ekane had long been a critical voice against Biya’s government and was part of the coalition supporting rival candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary during the 2025 election. His death is seen by many observers as part of a broader pattern in Cameroon, where human-rights organizations have documented arbitrary arrests, poor prison conditions, and limited access to medical care for political detainees (Al Jazeera).
Security forces reportedly surrounded MANIDEM’s headquarters in Douala following Ekane’s death, heightening tensions in the city. Africanews reported that International and local human-rights organizations have urged the Cameroonian government to allow a transparent investigation and to uphold the rights of opposition members in custody.
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