A shockingly violent act shook the CCC neighborhood of Douala this Monday, February 23, 2026. In the late afternoon, a woman was killed with a machete on school grounds, a place that should have been a sanctuary. The aggressor, her partner, chased her into the school where she was desperately seeking refuge. He caught up with her and slit her throat in front of helpless witnesses, turning a place of learning into a crime scene.
The victim, whose identity has not been released, was trying to escape her attacker. Her attempt to find refuge in a school in the la Fontaine neighborhood ended in bloodshed. The man caught up with her inside the establishment and committed the irreparable act.
Another woman, a witness to the scene, showed exceptional courage by trying to intervene to save the victim. Unfortunately, she was seriously injured by the assailant. Her heroic act, although unable to prevent the victim's death, left a lasting impression.
The rapid arrival of law enforcement prevented a lynching. An enraged crowd, witnessing the horror, was trying to attack the murderer. The gendarmerie intervened to protect him from mob justice and arrest him.
This barbaric act plunged the CCC neighborhood into a state of shock and dismay. The violence of the crime, perpetrated in a place frequented by children, sparked a wave of outrage and anger. This femicide highlights, once again, the urgent need to strengthen the protection of women who are victims of domestic violence in Cameroon.
This tragedy is part of an alarming national context, marked by a resurgence of femicides. According to the Ministry for the Promotion of Women and the Family (MINPROFF), 69 cases of femicide were recorded in 2024, compared to 56 in 2023, an increase of 23.2%. This figure is actually underestimated due to fear, family silence and lack of trust in institutions.
Faced with this situation, the Cameroonian government has, since 2023, undertaken the development of a bill against gender-based violence (GBV). A validation workshop was held in February 2026 in Ebolowa, bringing together MINPROFF, partner ministries and international partners. The goal is to finalize a text which, if adopted by the National Assembly, could constitute a legal reference tool against GBV.
The investigation opened by the gendarmerie will have to determine the exact motivations for this heinous crime. Beyond this isolated act, the question of the protection of women and the prevention of domestic violence arises with particular acuity in Cameroon. Cameroonian society is called upon to mobilize to put an end to this scourge and guarantee the safety of all women. The resurgence of femicides underscores the urgency of collective action and concrete measures to protect women and prevent such tragedies.
