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Cameroon's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has declared that political opponent Tchiroma Bakary will be prosecuted over claims that he instigated "violent post-election demonstrations".

At least 4 protesters have been fatally wounded during clashes between security forces and protesters since Cameroon's election on October 12, with the 92-year-old head of state securing an eighth presidential mandate.

Tchiroma Bakary maintains that he emerged victorious, a statement dismissed by the governing party, the ruling CPDM.

Violent crackdowns by law enforcement on demonstrators have worried the international community, with the United Nations, African Union and European Union demanding restraint.

Official's Accusations

On Tuesday, the interior minister accused the opposition figure of organising what he labeled "unlawful" demonstrations resulting in the loss of lives, and also criticised him for claiming win in the electoral contest.

He added that Tchiroma Bakary's "co-conspirators responsible for an subversive plot" will also undergo judicial processes.

Poll Figures

Paul Biya, who came to power in 1982 and is now the oldest serving president, secured the 12 October election with a majority of the votes, compared to just over a third for Tchiroma Bakary, according to the electoral authority.

Opposition Response

Issa Tchiroma is yet to respond to the authorities' move to prosecute him, but he had earlier announced that he refused to acknowledge a stolen vote - and that he was undaunted of being detained.

When results were announced, he said that armed men shot on demonstrators assembled near his home in Garoua, causing the death of at least two people.

Inquiry Launched

On Tuesday, the interior minister announced that an inquiry would be launched into clashes before and after the declaration of the poll figures.

"In the course of these incidents, some of the perpetrators were killed," he commented, without providing a specific number of protesters who have been lost their lives in the clashes.

Nji further mentioned that a number of members of the law enforcement also suffered major harm.

Current Situation

Although the interior minister maintained the condition across the country was now stable, demonstrators remain active in some parts of the nation, especially in these two cities, where demonstrators set up barricades on Tuesday, and set fire to rubber on the roads.

Experts caution that the election-related unrest could lead the country into a leadership vacuum.