Yaoundé, Cameroon – In December 2024, Yerima Djoubaierou, a whistleblower from the Adamawa region, vanished under suspicious circumstances after capturing and disseminating footage allegedly showing a member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) in possession of numerous national ID cards, purportedly intended for electoral fraud. The video quickly went viral, igniting significant political controversy.
Investigative reports from the French-language publication L’Oeil du Sahel have traced Djoubaierou’s disappearance to the State Secretariat of Defence (SED) in Yaoundé, a facility notorious for detaining individuals linked to sensitive national security issues. Despite these findings, SED officials have neither confirmed nor denied holding Djoubaierou in custody.
Maurice Kamto, leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement party (CRM), has publicly demanded Djoubaierou’s immediate release, asserting that the government is responsible for his abduction.
In a recent statement, Kamto emphasized that Djoubaierou is reportedly detained within SED’s Central Service for Judicial Research, a facility he described as a “notorious torture center for political opponents.” Reflecting on past incidents, Kamto noted that many CRM members suffered greatly there during 2019 and 2020. He expressed his demands on Facebook: “Let those connected to his kidnapping and detention take action to end his torture.”
Kamto further condemned the alleged electoral fraud that has led to Djoubaierou’s inhumane treatment, suggesting it serves the interests of CPDM president Paul Biya, who also holds the presidency of Cameroon. He urged Biya to take immediate action to dissociate himself from actions deemed crimes against humanity by ordering Djoubaierou’s release.
This incident has heightened concerns about the safety of whistleblowers and political activists in Cameroon. Human rights organizations have long criticized the government’s handling of dissent, citing instances of arbitrary detention and alleged torture.
As of now, Djoubaierou’s fate remains uncertain, and the Cameroonian government faces mounting pressure to clarify his status and ensure his well-being.
