Cameroon Police Say Civilian Attacks On Police Increasing

Cameroonian Authorities say there has been a jump in cases of civilians assaulting police officers.

In some cases, he said, police have been victims of humiliation, battery and other forms of assault from civilians the police are supposed to protect.

Paul Atanga Nji, the territorial administration minister, says at least 15 videos of civilians of refusing police orders and attacking officers have been shared on social media platforms within the past two weeks.

He said this irresponsible behaviour towards the police is unacceptable, adding that no person, regardless of their social status, for whatsoever reason has a right to assault a police officer on duty.

In one video, a driver refuses a police demand to search his car, hits the police officer and then runs him over with his car while some bystanders applaud.

Another video appears to show a civilian carrying a police officer on his shoulder before throwing him on the back of a truck.

The civilians are believed to be retaliating for acts of police brutality or corruption but Nji said if civilians have grievances, they should send complaints of alleged police misdeeds to the chief of police, who can take disciplinary action.

However, human rights lawyer Christopher Ndong says when police brutality and corruption are reported, senior government and police officials do not investigate.

He adds that police often beat people, detain some abusively and extract bribes from innocent civilians.