Cameroon

The territory of present-day Republic of Cameroon became a united, independent state in October 1961. It had previously been colonised by Germany in the late 19th century, and then divided between France and the United Kingdom.

Ahmadou Ahidjo became president of the new republic and ruled for 20 years. His government’s centralised and authoritarian tendencies led to increasing underground opposition, particularly within the English-speaking regions. Ahidjo was succeeded in 1982 by then prime minister Biya, who has been in power ever since. A coup in 1984, which was quickly suppressed, led to estimated deaths of up to 2,000 people. Multi-party elections took place for the first time in Cameroon in 1992, but subsequent elections have often been boycotted due to corruption.

During the 1990s, there were instances of armed violence between various ethnic groups across the country, and particularly between the Shua and Kotoko groups in Far-North province. In addition, a longstanding border dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria concerning the Bakassi peninsula escalated in the 1990s, resulting in dozens of deaths.

Boko Haram

In 2015, Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, became active in Cameroon. Boko Haram is a jihadist group which had spread its activities into Cameroon from bordering Nigeria, and was briefly allied with Islamic State’s West Africa Province. The first three months of 2015 saw large-scale battles between Boko Haram and Cameroon military forces, as well as guerilla warfare involving thousands of fighters.

Boko Haram violence has decreased since 2015, but the group is still active in the northern parts of Cameroon. The Far-North region, particularly the Lake Chad basin and the areas bordering Nigeria, are the most badly affected. More than 3,000 people are believed to have been killed as a result of the conflict between Boko Haram and the government of Cameroon between 2015 and 2025, including 27 civilians killed in a Boko Haram attack on a fishing village in April 2024. An estimated 250,000 people have been forcibly displaced.

Anglophone separatism

Longstanding tension concerning greater autonomy for the Anglophone regions developed into armed conflict in 2017, after up to 100 people were killed by government forces in violent suppression of peaceful protests. In response, numerous separatist armed groups were established to fight for the autonomy of the anglophone ‘Federal Republic of Ambazonia’.

The conflict has had a particular impact on education, as schools and education personnel have been targeted for attack or forced to close. In 2019, an estimated 800,000 children were out of school due to the effect of the conflict, and in October 2020 at least seven children were killed in an attack on a school in Kumba.

As of mid-2025, at least 6,000 people have been killed in the separatist conflict. Around 600,000 people have been forced to flee their homes within Cameroon, and more than 70,000 others have taken refuge in Nigeria.

What we’re doing

Every Casualty Counts works with civil society organisations documenting victims of armed violence in Cameroon. Through the Casualty Recorders Network, we provide training, advice and support, to ensure records of victims are as complete and accurate as possible.