Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in detention in Yaoundé, with his party alleging ignored medical requests and unclear circumstances surrounding his deteriorating health.
Cameroonian opposition leader Anicet Ekane died Monday morning while held at the State Defence Secretariat in Yaoundé, weeks after his arrest in Douala on October 24 for publicly supporting Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s challenge to President Paul Biya’s re-election. His party’s vice president, Valentin Dongmo, said Ekane’s health worsened in custody and that repeated appeals for “a hospital with the appropriate facilities” received no “favourable response,” adding that supporters had even called for a “medical evacuation” just a day before his death.
Analysts say the SED allows authorities to “maintain strict control” over political detainees without guaranteeing “better treatment,” while the defence ministry denies any negligence, insisting “he was appropriately cared for” and announcing an investigation to determine the cause of death. Ekane, a veteran left-wing nationalist and former presidential candidate, had a long history of political activism and previous arrests, and his death has sparked significant public reaction.