By Norbert Wasso
Government has carried its crackdown on protesters of the October 12 presidential poll beyond the national boundaries and is now targeting Cameroonian dissidents in the diaspora.
Despite continued pressure from the national and international communities for the government to step back and release all those detained following violent protests, the government seems bent on tracking dissidents within Cameroon and out of the country.
The calls for government to relent on its clampdown have spiked following the death of opposition figure, Georges Anicet Ekane in detention in Yaounde. Anicet Ekane, who was one of the main figures behind presidential candidate, Issa Tchiroma, who has claimed severally that he won the elections, died last December 01, 2025 in Yaounde.
Issa Tchiroma raises alarm to International Community
Breaking his silence for the first time since fleeing Cameroon in November 2025, opposition leader and self-proclaimed winner of the October 2025 presidential election, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, issued a passionate address to his supporters and the international community. Speaking from his private residence in Banjul, The Gambia, where he was granted temporary humanitarian asylum, Tchiroma levelled serious accusations against the administration in Yaounde and sounded the alarm over the safety of his supporters globally.
Accusations of transnational repression
During his address, Tchiroma claimed that the government of longtime President Paul Biya is actively conducting a campaign of transnational repression targeting members of the Cameroonian diaspora. He accused what he termed the “illegitimate government in Yaoundé” of aggressively tracking and endangering activists who have openly spoken out against the disputed official results of the October 12, 2025 election.
“The regime’s reach has extended beyond our borders,” Tchiroma stated. “They are actively targeting the brave men and women who refuse to let the democratic will of the Cameroonian people be silenced.”
Dissidents “in imminent danger” named
In an unusual move, the self-proclaimed winner published a specific list of high-profile supporters located across Europe and North America whom he believes are facing immediate threats from Cameroonian state agents.
Tchiroma called on host governments and global bodies to intervene, explicitly naming the following individuals as being in danger:
– Belgium: John Ndah and Ekwe Nangsi
– United States: Fon Albert, Misspa Diange, and Winifred B. Dioh
– Ireland: Ruth Tengu, Linda Akwi, Ebose Moloba, and Shaddrack Nji
An appeal for UN protection
Tchiroma concluded his address with a direct plea to the global community, urging the United Nations and relevant international bodies to provide swift protection to the named individuals under international humanitarian frameworks.
“We are asking the international community to honor its commitments,” Tchiroma urged. “These citizens require urgent protection under UN humanitarian laws before the regime in Yaoundé carries out its threats against them.”
The Gambian government, which has maintained that Tchiroma is being hosted strictly on humanitarian grounds, has previously emphasized that it will not permit its territory to be used for launching subversive activities. However, this public address from Banjul marks a significant escalation in post-election friction between Cameroon’s exiled opposition and the established government. The Ministry of Territorial Administration in Yaoundé has yet to release an official response to Tchiroma’s allegations.