The National Gendarmerie has launched a sensitisation campaign, urging citizens to report cases of abuse or call for help in distress situations using designated toll-free numbers.
In Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, members of the paramilitary force were spotted actively engaging the public.
They handed out flyers bearing the emergency numbers and pasted them on building walls in bus stations, markets, and busy streets.
According to the Gendarmerie, individuals facing abuse should call 1501, while those in distress can reach out through 113.
“The numbers are available 24/7 and are free of charge,” the Gendarmerie stated.
The campaign, which kicked off in Douala, is expected to spillover to other towns and cities across the country.
Coming Amidst Numerous Abuses
The campaign comes at a time when the country has seen a surge in shocking abuse cases by citizens.
Just last month in Yaoundé, a man was arrested for allegedly killing his own child. In a separate incident, another man was taken into custody for impregnating his daughter.
In Douala, a man received a suspended sentence after he was found guilty of killing his wife in 2023.
The Gendarmerie’s outreach has been seen by some as an attempt to foster better ties with the population.
However, in other regions, like the Northwest and Southwest, where an armed conflict has been raging, security forces themselves have been accused of committing abuses against civilians.
There have been repeated reports of people being forced to unlock their phones, pay bribes, or even beaten into false confessions or accusations.
A few months ago, the South West branch of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission documented an incident in which both police and gendarmes tortured and extorted money from a young man.
Despite the commission’s intervention leading to the return of the money, the incident damaged the public’s perception of the security and defence forces.
