Cameroon opposition leader dies in custody amid health concerns

His lawyers and family confirmed the death on Monday, December 1, alleging that he struggled to breathe in custody but did not receive adequate medical care.

Ekane was arrested on October 24 in Douala following the post-election protest and was detained at a military garrison in Yaoundé on charges of hostility against the state, incitement to revolt, and calls for insurrection. Ekane denied all accusations.

The arrest came after the contested presidential election on October 12, in which President Paul Biya, aged 92, was declared the winner. Ekane, along with other opposition figures, rejected the results. 

Rival candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary also claimed victory and urged the population to reject the official outcome.

Ekane's party said he was in poor health during detention and lacked access to vital medical equipment. According to his lawyer, Ngouana Ulrich Juvenal, Ekane was barely able to speak during a recent visit. His sister, Mariane Simon-Ekane, confirmed his death on Facebook.

On November 30, Manidem issued a statement requesting his urgent transfer to a hospital that could provide more suitable care. The party had previously reported that essential medical equipment, including Ekane’s oxygen concentrator, was locked in his impounded vehicle at a military police station in Douala. Efforts to retrieve the equipment were allegedly blocked by the station commander. 

Ekane’s detention, along with that of fellow Manidem member Florence Aimee Titcho and other Tchiroma supporters, was condemned by opposition groups. These groups had called for their immediate and unconditional release.

In its November 30 statement, Manidem warned that it "would hold the Yaoundé regime responsible for the consequences of refusing the transfer".

Cameroon’s defence ministry confirmed Ekane’s death on Monday, citing "an illness" and announcing that an investigation had been opened into the circumstances.

Ekane had been active in Cameroonian politics since the early 1990s. He initially supported Maurice Kamto, who was later banned from contesting the election, and subsequently backed Issa Tchiroma.

Tchiroma, following the unrest, has since fled to Gambia, where he is being hosted on humanitarian grounds, according to Gambian authorities.

President Paul Biya was sworn in for an eighth term on November 6 in Yaoundé. Despite the youthful population of Cameroon’s 29 million citizens, where the median age is 18, Biya—who has ruled for more than four decades—will continue in office for another seven years.