Violent clashes erupted across Cameroon’s commercial capital on Wednesday following opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s declaration of victory in the October 12 presidential election.

The unrest has raised fears of a repeat of the post-election turmoil seen in 2018, when dozens were arrested and opposition leaders detained.

Tchiroma, a former government minister who broke ranks with the ruling establishment last year to challenge 92-year-old President Paul Biya, announced his “clear victory” via a Facebook video. He pledged to release regional vote tallies and called on Biya to concede peacefully.

His announcement triggered mass demonstrations in Douala’s Santa Barbara neighborhood, where supporters demanding transparency were met with tear gas and baton charges from riot police. Similar confrontations occurred in northern cities such as Garoua and Maroua.

As of Wednesday, no official results have been released by Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) or the constitutional court, which has until October 26 to announce the final outcome. Analysts had widely predicted Biya’s reelection, citing a fragmented opposition and the disqualification of leading challenger Maurice Kamto in August over eligibility concerns.

Tchiroma’s campaign, backed by a coalition of civic groups and smaller parties, drew significant support in urban centers including Douala and Bafoussam. Government officials have dismissed his victory claim as premature, with authorities in Yaoundé maintaining that the vote was conducted peacefully and that “the main opposition candidate did not win.” Security Minister René Emmanuel Sadi warned against “provocations,” while ELECAM urged citizens to remain calm as vote counting continues.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have expressed concern over potential suppression, referencing the 2018 crackdown that led to Kamto’s imprisonment and widespread protests.

President Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, has faced persistent challenges including separatist unrest in the west and corruption scandals that have hindered economic growth in the resource-rich nation of 30 million. Tchiroma, now in his late 70s, has positioned himself as a reformist figure, appealing to younger voters frustrated by economic stagnation and restrictions on civil liberties.