Civil society condemns the death of opposition leader Anicet Ekane in custody

Cameroon is reeling after the death of Anicet Ekane, a prominent opposition figure and longtime critic of President Paul Biya, who died in state custody. His passing has sparked grief and indignation in Yaoundé and beyond.

According to Maître Ngouana Ulrich Juvénal, a defense lawyer for Ekane, legal teams were notified early this morning: "We were contacted around 7 am and rushed to the national gendarmerie's medical center. On arrival, we saw our colleagues, Professor Maurice Kamto, and Honorable Nitcheu. There we found Ekane's lifeless body and had to come to terms with the tragic news."

Ekane's health had reportedly deteriorated in the days leading up to his death. "When we last saw him on Tuesday, he was severely ill, barely able to speak. He insisted on seeing his pulmonologist and requested transfer to a hospital for appropriate care," said Ngouana.

Civil society groups have condemned Ekane's detention. Cyrille Rolande Bechon, Coordinator of the NGO New Human Rights, described the news as "a shock to civil society. Ekane was subjected to arbitrary detention for over 30 days, a clear violation of fundamental rights and Cameroon's international commitments."

As the country grapples with this loss, many in Douala and elsewhere are left searching for answers, calling for accountability and justice.