What happened during the 1984 coup attempt against Paul Biya?

On April 6, 1984, a minor coup attempt and a subsequent uprising by the Republican Guard occurred in Cameroon against President Paul Biya.12

The event followed a period of increasing political friction between Biya and his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo, who had resigned in 1982 but attempted to maintain influence over the government and the ruling party. While Biya emerged from the coup attempt unscathed, there were strong suspicions that Ahidjo or his supporters had directed or favored the plot.13

Following the failed uprising, Ahidjo—who had taken refuge in France—was tried and sentenced in absentia for his role in the conspiracy. In the aftermath, Biya reversed his initial support for democratic changes and moved to consolidate his power, including dissolving the Cameroon National Union (UNC) and replacing it with the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM).123