By NDI EUGENE NDI

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Opposition and civil society leaders have increased pressure on the Cameroon government to release a young activist who has been advocating more voter registration and participation in the country.

Junior Ngombe, 23, a social media influencer with more than 12,000 followers on TikTok, was arrested in the country’s largest city Douala and whisked away to the Gendarmerie headquarters, also known as State Defence Secretariat (SED) in the capital Yaounde, where he has been detained since Wednesday, according to local media reports.

The reason for the arrest of the “Gen-Z activist” was yet to be officially communicated, but his arrest follows the release of a video in which he criticised the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) government.

In the video that has generated over 75,000 reactions -- with over 7,700 likes and over 1,400 comments -- he calls on young Cameroonians to massively register ahead of next year’s elections, but expressed regrets even if they do, the system will still steal their votes.

“I know many of you have not yet registered for the presidential elections -- no worries, I know you will do,” the youth says in French.

“I have already enrolled on the electoral list, but I know that, even if millions of us register massively, the CPDM … will still do everything possible to win.

So, the resolution that we have taken is that come 2025, it either we win or spoil everything. We do not have anything to negotiate with the CPDM. It is better they kill us...”

His arrest and move to Yaounde attracted an avalanche of reactions with many, in and out of the country, pushing for his immediate release.

Opposition leader Prof Maurice Kamto “solemnly” appealed to President Paul Biya to order the immediate release of the “young compatriot who, through his responsible and peaceful civic actions, embodies the conscious and hopeful youth; the one who, far from distraction, questions its future and that of our nation.”

In a July 26 statement, Prof Kamto, president of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement who came second in the country’s last presidential election, said the young activist had distinguished himself by his commitment to peaceful change in the ballot box, which requires massive registration of young people who have attained voting age in the country -- 20 years.

 “Through his educational and persuasive talks, Junior Ngombe undoubtedly ended up irritating those who, within the State apparatus, hatched and arrogantly assumed a plot against freedom and democracy in Cameroon… 

“There is an urgent need to stop this drift, which does not bode well for our country on the eve of a crucial presidential election,” Prof Kamto said.

Barrister Akere Muna, an anti-corruption consultant who was also among the nine candidates in the country's last presidential election, also called for the release of the young activist, whom he said was rightfully expressing his worries and frustrations about his uncertain future -- a freedom guaranteed by the constitution.

“Despite the challenges he faces, he remains hopeful for a better future in Cameroon.

“He has not taken the risks of crossing dangerous territories like the Sahara or the Mediterranean, yet he now finds himself in a precarious situation within his own country,” Mr Muna said. 

“The unpatriotic corrupt and greedy individuals involved in the Glencore scandal seem to receive better protection from the state they have captured than a young citizen expressing legitimate concerns.

“This arrest is one too many,” he added.

Read: Cameroon jails 47 opposition activists for 'rebellion'

According to the US Department of Justice, between 2007 and 2018, Glencore and its subsidiaries caused approximately $79.6 million in payments to be made to intermediary companies in order to secure improper advantages to obtain and retain business with state-owned and state-controlled entities in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Equatorial Guinea.

Glencore concealed the bribe payments by entering into sham consulting agreements, paying inflated invoices, and using intermediary companies to make corrupt payments to foreign officials. 

Read: KACC asked to probe $98.7 million Triton oil theft at Kenya Pipeline

In 2022, Glencore International A.G.  and Glencore Ltd, both part of a multinational commodity trading and mining firm headquartered in Switzerland, each pleaded guilty and agreed to pay over $1.1 billion to resolve the investigations into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and a commodity price manipulation scheme.

Cameroon’s top human rights campaigner and 2021 International Women of Courage Awardee, Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, also called for the release of the activist whom, she said, does not represent any threat to the country.

Ms Ngo Mbe, who heads Douala-based Network of Human Rights Defenders of Central Africa (Redhac) said on her official Facebook page that she had met with Mr Ngombe’s mother and some top personalities to seek ways of helping him out.

“The 23-year-old was raising awareness among his friends about citizenship. He is no threat to Cameroon.

“He must be released immediately and unconditionally,” she wrote.

A hashtag #FreeJuniorNgombe (#LiberezJuniorNgombe in French) has been trending on social media since Friday.

Human Rights Watch on Monday joined calls for the young activist's release.

"The Cameroonian authorities should listen to peaceful calls for reform instead of stifling freedom of expression. They should immediately release Ngombe and drop the charges against him," HRW said in a statement.

Citing his lawyer, the rights group confirmed that Ngombe was arrested outside his shop in Douala on July 24.

He was first taken to a gendarmerie post in Douala before being transferred to the National Defence Secretariat in Yaoundé the following day. Human Rights Watch said it had "previously documented widespread use of torture" at the gendarmerie-run detention centre.

Ngombe's lawyers told HRW that their client has been charged with "inciting rebellion" and "spreading false information". They believe his arrest is linked to several TikTok videos in which Ngombe encouraged people to register to vote in the February 2025 presidential election, advocated for democratic change, and questioned the authorities' intolerance of criticism.

For many years, Cameroon's government has carried out a widespread crackdown on opposition and dissent, jailing dozens of political activists, human rights defenders, journalists and other government critics, the rights groups said. "In recent months, as the presidential elections approach, it has increasingly restricted freedoms of expression and association," the statement read in part.

The arrest of the young activist comes days after authorities warned against the use of irreverent or offensive language against President Biya. 

The threat by the Minister of Communication and Government Spokesperson came in the wake of heavy criticism of the 91-year-old president’s move to extend his four-decade rule after his current mandate expires next year.