Cameroon: Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ Calls for Immediate Release of a Journalist, George Atabong Lekeaka, arrested and retained incommunicado in Buea
On 14 August 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as published on its official website, has called on Cameroonian authorities to immediately release journalist George Atabong Lekeaka, who has reportedly been held incommunicado since Monday, August 10, after publishing a photograph showing security officers on patrol in Buea, South West Region.
Lekeaka, a contributor to the Facebook page All-About-Cameroon, reportedly published a photograph of a soldier and a police officer patrolling in Buea amid clashes between government forces and separatist fighters.
The post warned residents about intense gunfire in the Mile 18 area of Buea and urged them to remain indoors for their safety.
According to CPJ, Lekeaka was detained hours after publishing the photograph when he identified himself to soldiers searching the area where the image had been taken.
CPJ is demanding that authorities immediately disclose his whereabouts, release him, and stop targeting journalists who report on Cameroon’s ongoing Anglophone crisis.
“George Atabong Lekeaka should not have been arrested for attempting to provide the public with security information, let alone secretly detained without access to a lawyer or his family,” said Moussa Ngom, CPJ’s Francophone Africa representative.
Lawyer Unable to Locate Journalist
Lekeaka’s lawyer, Emmanuel Aleambong Nkea, filed a habeas corpus application on August 12 seeking to have the journalist produced before a court.
The application reportedly contains testimony from a witness who was taken to a military assembly point alongside Lekeaka following his detention.
The witness said the arresting officers refused to disclose where Lekeaka was being taken and instructed him to leave the scene or risk being detained himself.
As of Friday, August 14, Nkea reportedly told CPJ that he had been unable to establish Lekeaka’s whereabouts despite visiting local gendarmerie and military headquarters.
The circumstances have raised concerns over the journalist’s access to legal counsel and contact with his family.
Arrest Comes Amid Deadly Violence in Buea
Lekeaka’s detention occurred against the backdrop of renewed violence in Buea on August 10, when clashes reportedly erupted as separatists sought to enforce a weekly “ghost town” protest.
The protests are part of the broader conflict that has affected Cameroon’s predominantly English-speaking North West and South West regions since 2016.
The crisis began with protests by lawyers and teachers over concerns about the appointment of French-speaking officials and the marginalisation of English-speaking institutions. A government crackdown was followed by an armed separatist insurgency, resulting in years of violence, displacement and serious human rights concerns.
Journalists Face Growing Risks
Reporting from Cameroon’s Anglophone regions remains highly dangerous, with journalists facing intimidation, arrest and prosecution over their coverage of the conflict.
CPJ has previously documented cases involving journalists accused of offences including secession, insurrection and spreading false news.
The case of Buea-based journalist Samuel Wazizi remains one of the most serious examples of the risks faced by journalists covering the crisis. Wazizi died in government custody in 2019, approximately two weeks after his arrest over his reporting on the conflict. His death was only publicly confirmed much later.
CPJ has also documented the prolonged imprisonment of journalists in Cameroon for their reporting on the Anglophone crisis.
The organization says that, as of its December prison census, four journalists were imprisoned in Cameroon, with three reportedly having spent more than nine years behind bars in connection with their reporting on the crisis.
Authorities Yet to Provide Answers
CPJ said its requests for comment from several senior officials went unanswered, including representatives of the Ministry of Defence, the South West Regional administration, Fako Division and national security authorities.
The regional delegate for national security reportedly asked CPJ which unit had carried out the arrest but did not respond to subsequent messages.
The lack of information about Lekeaka’s whereabouts has intensified concerns about his safety and legal status.
The case has renewed calls for Cameroonian authorities to respect journalists’ rights, guarantee due process and ensure that reporting on security incidents does not become grounds for arbitrary or secret detention.
For journalists working in conflict-affected communities, the ability to document and communicate information about violence and security incidents is essential to public safety and accountability.
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
