The move by supporters comes as political tensions surge across Cameroon following the October 12th presidential election, in which the 79-year-old Tchiroma, a former government minister who broke ranks with the ruling party, preemptively declared victory over 92-year-old incumbent President Paul Biya.
Reports from the city indicate that a security cordon of concerned citizens formed around Tchiroma's home. The mobilization was prompted by concerns and suspicion that government security forces, which were heavily deployed to the area, might attempt to place the opposition leader under de facto house arrest—a tactic previously used against opposition figures in Cameroon.
The government had issued stern warnings against any unauthorized declaration of election results, condemning Tchiroma's claim as "conspiratorial and anti-republican."
Tchiroma, who heads the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC) and is backed by a coalition of opposition groups, has called on President Biya to "honour the truth of the ballot box" and concede, a direct and dramatic challenge to the president's 43-year rule.
The presence of determined residents guarding the opposition leader's home underscores the deep mistrust in the electoral process and the high stakes of the election. Clashes between Tchiroma's supporters and security forces have already been reported in Garoua and other major cities since the vote, signaling a volatile period as the nation awaits the official outcome.