The Minister of Communication Rene Emmanuel Sadi on Monday condemned violent post-election protests and acts of civil disobedience, vowing that effective measures will be taken to restore order.

Sadi, also the government spokesperson, said violent protests following the country’s Oct. 12 presidential election had led to the destruction and looting of property.

“Those responsible for the disturbances, caught in the act of committing their crimes, have been arrested,” Sadi said in a statement.

The statement was released as a civil disobedience campaign launched by the opposition left much of the Central African nation’s streets largely deserted at the start of the working week on Monday.

Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who won the election, had called for a three-day nationwide “ghost town” protest from Monday to Wednesday, encouraging people to stay at home and suspend all activities as a form of peaceful resistance.

Sadi warned that such calls for civil disobedience are likely to “sow disorder and insecurity,” and urged residents to ignore them.

The so-called President-elect, Paul Biya, will be sworn in this week.

By Rita Akana with files from Xinhuanet