Cameroon: Issa Tchiroma Condemns Burning Alive of Steve Diffo, Demands Justice

BUEA, PAV – Issa Tchiroma Bakary, former minister and self-proclaimed winner of the 2025 presidential election, has strongly condemned the gruesome killing of young Steve Diffo, who was reportedly burned alive in Baloum, near Dschang in the West Region, describing the act as barbaric and calling for those responsible to be brought to justice.

In a statement issued on June 17, 2026, Issa Tchiroma Bakary expressed shock and horror over the incident. According to the statement, Steve Diffo was allegedly tied by his hands and feet before being publicly set ablaze in the presence of a crowd. Tchiroma said the incident represented a disturbing form of mob justice and a serious violation of human dignity.

“I learned with shock and horror of the killing of young Steve Diffo, who was burned alive in gruesome circumstances,” he stated in a communiqué on his official Facebook account, extending his condolences to the victim’s family, particularly his mother, whose emotional reaction to the tragedy has touched many Cameroonians.

Issa Tchiroma condemned the actions of those involved in the killing, insisting that no circumstance could justify such treatment of a human being. “No reason can justify such barbarity. No motive can legitimise such torture. No grievance can excuse such degrading acts,” he said.

The political figure who is in exile also denounced the growing trend of vigilante justice and private vengeance, warning that such practices undermine the rule of law and threaten social cohesion.

According to him, the incident reflects deeper challenges facing Cameroonian society, including declining public confidence in law enforcement institutions, moral decay, the normalisation of violence, and a culture of impunity.

He urged judicial authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Diffo’s death, identify all those involved, and ensure that the perpetrators and instigators face the full force of the law.

“It is the imperative duty of the justice system to shed full light on this case, establish responsibilities, and punish with the utmost severity the perpetrators and instigators of these abominable acts,” Tchiroma said.

Tchiroma, who heads the Cameroon National Salvation Front Party, called for broader efforts to rebuild trust in public institutions and strengthen the justice system’s capacity to prevent and punish torture and other inhumane acts. He reiterated his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, describing the loss as a painful tragedy that should serve as a wake-up call for the nation.