The Cameroonian Ministry of Defense has released a statement regarding the death of Anicet Ekane, president of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Manidem). According to the state-commissioned investigation report, Ekane died of natural causes.
The Ministry of Defense statement specifies that the investigation revealed no traumatic lesions and highlighted serious pathologies that affected a patient with a heavy medical history. The report therefore concludes that the death was natural, dismissing allegations that the removal of Ekane's oxygen extractor for several days contributed to his death.
Anicet Ekane died on December 1, 2025, under controversial circumstances. He had been arrested on October 24, 2025, following the contested presidential election that saw Paul Biya re-elected for an eighth term. Ekane had been charged with hostility against the state, incitement to revolt, and calling for insurrection. His relatives and lawyers claimed that he had been denied proper medical care for his respiratory problems, which worsened during his detention. They also reported that his oxygen concentrator had been confiscated at the time of his arrest.
The Ministry of Defense's announcement comes after the lifting of the seals on Anicet Ekane's remains, 85 days after his death. A figure of the Cameroonian opposition, Ekane had supported the candidacy of Issa Tchiroma in the last presidential election, after the sponsorship he had granted to Maurice Kamto was invalidated.
The death of Anicet Ekane had sparked strong reactions within civil society and the international community. Human Rights Watch had called for an impartial investigation into the circumstances of his death. Several organizations had denounced his detention conditions and the lack of medical care he allegedly suffered. The case had highlighted the persistent political tensions in Cameroon and concerns about the treatment of political opponents.
Ekane's body was handed over to his family on the Monday before the announcement of the investigation results.
