A tragic motorcycle accident in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on April 5 2025, has placed former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou at the center of a serious incident. The crash, which occurred in the Omnisports district, involved 17-year-old Ntsama Brigitte Manuella, who died during emergency surgery due to severe injuries to her arm and leg, per Camer.be and Lebledparle. Ngannou rushed her to Yaoundé General Hospital and paid her medical costs, but she could not be saved. Authorities are investigating, with no charges confirmed as of April 30 2025.
Ngannou, 38, is reportedly devastated, per The Sun and Daily Mail, though he has not made an official statement. The incident, first reported by Cameroonian whistleblower N’Zui Manto, follows the loss of Ngannou’s 15-month-old son, Kobe, in April 2024.
🚨 Cameroonian news outlets are reporting that Francis Ngannou was involved in a motorcycle accident in Yaoundé that took a 17 year old girl’s life
It is reported that Francis Ngannou paid all of her medical bills but she unfortunately passed away before doctors could operate pic.twitter.com/iJieZqBjbM
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) April 28, 2025
Francis Ngannou reportedly hit a young lady with his bike who was returning from an outing and she unfortunately passed away despite surgical intervention. pic.twitter.com/pDv9A91Hzo
— MrTestoestrogen (@MrTestoestrogen) April 28, 2025
What Happened in the Yaoundé Accident?
Details of the crash are unclear. Some reports, like Cameroon Online, suggest Ngannou’s motorcycle struck Manuella, possibly a pedestrian or on another vehicle, while others indicate Ngannou was in a vehicle that hit her motorcycle. The accident happened over Easter weekend, and despite quick medical efforts, Manuella’s injuries were fatal.
Ngannou, a Cameroonian-born fighter, is the PFL Super Fights Heavyweight Champion, winning the title with a first-round knockout over Renan Ferreira on October 19 2024. His MMA record is 18-3, with 13 knockouts and 4 submissions. He left the UFC in 2022 after a contract dispute and joined PFL in 2023. Ngannou also boxed, losing to Tyson Fury in October 2023 and Anthony Joshua in March 2024, per BoxRec.
