Veteran Cameroonian opposition leader Anicet Ekane on Monday died at a military hospital in Yaoundé, five weeks after his arrest in Douala for supporting opposition presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

His family and lawyers stated that his health had sharply declined during detention and that he was denied proper medical attention, raising anger among the public.

The news has triggered widespread outrage, with supporters gathering to mourn, his party condemning the handling of his detention and calls mounting for a full investigation into the circumstances of his death.