Life in Maroua, the capital of Cameroon’s Far North region, came to a standstill on Friday after opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary called for a nationwide “ghost town” protest. Though the shutdown was officially set to begin on Monday, many residents and businesses have already started observing it out of fear.
Markets remain closed as merchants worry about threats of violence. “We were told the market would be burned, so we had no choice but to close,” said Hayatou, a local trader. Another vendor, Mouhamadou Blama, lamented the loss of income, saying, “There are no buyers, no clients — our products are going bad.”
Fruit seller Mahamout expressed similar frustration as his goods began to rot due to the market closure. “These are our products — how do we survive if we can’t sell them?” he asked.
Merchants say the absence of security forces has worsened the situation, leaving thousands of shops unprotected. The impact has also reached schools, where attendance has dropped sharply. “We’re supposed to be 50 in class, but only 20 showed up,” said student Gringa Dieudonné.
The protest marks the third phase of Bakary’s campaign against the government in Yaoundé, signaling a growing standoff between the opposition and President Paul Biya’s administration.