Anicet Ekane’s Tragic Death in Biya’s Dungeon: A Wake-Up Call for Ambazonians – Our Fighters Are the Only Shield Against Tyranny
By James Agbor, BaretaNews Political Correspondent
Douala, Cameroon – December 1, 2025 – In a chilling reminder of the brutal grip of Paul Biya’s regime on political dissent, opposition leader Anicet Ekane, president of the MANIDEM party, has died in detention. Ekane, 70, succumbed to his deteriorating health after weeks of being denied critical medical care, including oxygen and essential equipment, following his arrest amid post-election unrest. His lawyer, Me Emmanuel Simh, confirmed the death, sparking widespread outrage across social media platforms like Facebook and X, where Cameroonians and international observers decried it as a political assassination.
Ekane’s demise comes just weeks after his arrest in late October, linked to his vocal support for opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary in the contentious October 2025 presidential election. Despite his frail health, authorities seized his medical devices and held him in conditions that his lawyers described as inhumane, leading to calls for an independent autopsy and international inquiry. Mourners gathered in tears outside MANIDEM’s headquarters in Douala, with women visibly distraught as the news spread like wildfire. Prominent voices, including SDF Deputy National Secretary Ndifor Richard and Barrister Désiré Sikati, condemned the regime’s actions, with Sikati stating, “To fight all your life for the good of your country and die in prison for having defended a just cause… The history of the new Cameroon will know how to engrave your name on the marble dedicated to our heroes.”
The tragedy has ignited discussions on platforms like X, where users from across the political spectrum expressed shock and anger. Tech entrepreneur Rebecca Enonchong tweeted, “They kidnapped him, without cause, confiscated his medical equipment and refused proper medical care… This was a political assassination. Rest in Power my dear friend.” Even international media outlets like Reuters and France 24 reported on the incident, highlighting how Ekane’s death could exacerbate Cameroon’s already tense political climate.
Mark Bareta, a vocal advocate for Ambazonian independence, took to X to rally Cameroonians: “We have learned that Anicet Ekane, who was abducted by the Cameroonian military, has died in jail after being tortured. One can tell that he was a selfless politician… Cameroonians must not let this one go. From Douala to Yaounde to Bertoua etc. You must get the regime pay for this beginning today.” Bareta’s words resonate deeply in the Ambazonian context, where the struggle for liberation from what many see as French Cameroon’s colonial overreach continues unabated.
As Dela Nganguh, known as “The old broom,” poignantly articulates in a recent reflection on the Ambazonian revolution: “The only reason Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, Tassang, and all Ambazonian leaders in prison are still alive is because Ambazonian fighters continue to stand tall against the dictatorial regime of French Cameroun in our struggle to liberate the homeland. The Biya regime believes it can use them to negotiate for its own benefit.”
Nganguh’s words draw a stark parallel to Ekane’s fate. In French Cameroun, where citizens offer no armed resistance, Biya’s regime acts with impunity. “As it stands, Biya can do anything against French Cameroun politicians, as seen in the killing of Anicet Ekane. Even Kamto and Tchiroma are not free, because French Cameroun citizens offer no reaction, they have no firepower,” Nganguh notes. Ekane’s death exemplifies this vulnerability – a man who dared to challenge electoral fraud and demand transparency, only to be silenced in a cell.
Contrast this with Ambazonia, where fighters provide a formidable deterrent. “For us, the Biya regime knows that our people and our formidable soldiers can stand up to them,” Nganguh emphasizes. If Ambazonian forces were to lay down their arms, the consequences would be dire – not just for independence fighters, but for all who cling to illusions of federation or a unified Cameroon. “If Ambazonian fighters were to lay down their arms, many things would go wrong for our people, including those who still believe in federation and one Cameroun.”
Yet, Nganguh warns of internal threats: “Unfortunately, some irresponsible regime-sponsored ‘boys’ have infiltrated the revolution, tarnishing the name of genuine Ambazonian fighters.” This infiltration underscores the need for vigilance, but it does not diminish the fighters’ role as a “positive force for everyone, Ambazonians and even those Anglophones still sitting on the French Cameroun fence.”
Ekane’s death is not just a loss for MANIDEM or the broader opposition; it’s a clarion call for Ambazonians to recognize the protective power of their armed struggle. As protests simmer and calls for justice grow louder – from Hiram S. Iyodi’s condemnation to global media scrutiny – the regime’s cracks are showing. But without the firepower that safeguards leaders like Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, more will fall like Ekane.
In honoring Ekane’s legacy, let us redouble our commitment to the homeland. The fighters stand tall – and so must we. Justice for Anicet Ekane. Liberation for Ambazonia. The revolution endures.
