Calm gradually returns
Following the riots and arson attacks on public buildings in certain regions of the country following the announcement of the winner of the presidential election on October 12, 2025, the situation is gradually returning to normal, although some sectors of activity remain paralyzed.
By Rodrigue BIKELE, Communications Officer, Faith and Justice, Cameroon Branch.
The presidential election on October 12, 2025, was eagerly awaited. The turnout was 57.76%, compared to 53.85% in 2018, an increase of 3.91 points. According to the president of the Constitutional Council, Clément Atangana, more than 4.6 million Cameroonians voted out of an electorate of more than 8 million registered voters. These figures show the interest that Cameroonians had this year compared to previous elections. This interest was somewhat exaggerated, as some candidates had already declared themselves the winners even before the results were announced on October 27.
The country in a state of partial unrest
This situation has plunged some cities in the country into violence perpetrated by militants who refuse to accept fair play. According to them, the victory of Issa Tchiroma, candidate of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC) in the presidential election, was stolen. However, the official results published by the Constitutional Council place him in second position with 35.19%. Several cities have since been rocked by demonstrations calling for these figures to be contested. Marches that were initially intended to be peaceful have turned violent, with looting and vandalism in several cities.
The government’s assessment of the damage
Paul Atanga Nji, Minister of Territorial Administration, has compiled a heavy national assessment of the damage, illustrating the spread of disorder beyond Douala: sub-prefecture buildings set on fire in Banja (Haut-Nkam department), Ngong, Figuil (Bénoué department), and Guider; ransacking of the courthouse in Dschang, the town hall in Mandjo, and the gendarmerie brigade in Ngong; destruction of Elecam offices in Ngong, Banja, Mandjo, and Figuil; and the burning of mayors’ residences in Garoua, Mandjo, and Figuil. During these acts of violence, more than 2,000 people were arrested, according to Alain Ndam, coordinator of the citizen defense collective for the Central and Southern regions.
He counts the number of people arrested and placed in administrative custody in police stations in various cities across the country and in Sed. According to the coordinator of the citizen defense collective for the Central and Southern regions, “more than 2,000 people have been arrested in recent days, including 1,300 people placed in administrative custody in Douala; 345 in Bertoua; 300 in Bafoussam; 78 in Maroua; and 55 in Yaoundé before the government commissioner.” Regarding the number of people who have died as a result of this post-election crisis, the government has not released an official toll, but admits that “dozens of people” have died during the protests.
The call for ghost towns
The first day of the “dead cities” protest, launched on November 3 by Issa Tchiroma Bakary, was observed unevenly across the country. In Yaoundé, the capital, life went on as usual. The streets were bustling, public services and schools were operating normally. Most markets were open, with the exception of certain areas of the Mokolo market and the central market, which remained partially closed. The situation was different in Douala, where several markets and schools did not open their doors, despite the visit of the governor of Littoral and his team. In several neighborhoods, residents described deserted streets, indicating stronger support for the ” ” slogan in the economic capital. In the English-speaking regions of the Northwest and Southwest, the day resembled an ordinary “ghost town” Monday, as has been the case since 2017, when the separatist conflict began. The western regions responded more strongly to the call for civil disobedience. In Bafang, Bandja, Bafoussam, and Dschang, shops and streets remained empty.
