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Cameroon's Minister of the Interior the interior minister has declared that opposition leader Tchiroma Bakary will face legal action over allegations that he provoked "violent election protests".

No fewer than four demonstrators have been fatally wounded during clashes between police and military and opposition supporters since Cameroon's election on October 12, with 92-year-old President Paul Biya winning an eighth presidential mandate.

The opposition leader insists that he emerged victorious, a claim dismissed by the governing party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM).

Violent crackdowns by police and security officers on protesters have concerned the world leaders, with the UN, African Union and EU urging restraint.

Official's Accusations

Recently, the interior minister accused Tchiroma Bakary of planning what he referred to as "unauthorized" demonstrations causing the fatalities, and also criticised him for declaring victory in the electoral contest.

He added that Tchiroma Bakary's "co-conspirators behind an insurrectionary plan" will also be prosecuted.

Vote Outcome

Paul Biya, who came to power in 1982 and is now the most elderly national leader, won the 12 October vote with a majority of the votes, compared to a significant minority for his opponent, according to the constitutional court.

Opposition Response

The opposition figure is has not yet commented to the authorities' move to prosecute him, but he had earlier stated that he rejected a rigged election - and that he was fearless of being detained.

When results were announced, he reported that armed men used lethal force on demonstrators present near his home in the city of Garoua, causing the death of at least two individuals.

Inquiry Revealed

On Tuesday, the government official announced that an inquiry would be launched into unrest prior to and following the announcement of the poll figures.

"Throughout the violence, some of the individuals involved were killed," he stated, without providing a exact count of demonstrators who have been fatally injured in the clashes.

Nji noted that a number of members of the police and military also suffered serious injuries.

Present Conditions

While the interior minister maintained the state of affairs across the country was now under control, protesters remain active in certain regions of the nation, especially in Douala and Garoua, where demonstrators set up obstructions on Tuesday, and burnt rubber on the thoroughfares.

Analysts caution that the election-related unrest could plunge the nation into a political crisis.