On Sunday, in the region of Center-East bordering Togo, specifically in Nohao near the town of Bittou, a suspected jihadist attack resulted in the tragic loss of twenty lives in Burkina Faso, as reported by AFP on Monday.
According to a security source, the assault claimed the lives of approximately twenty individuals, primarily consisting of shopkeepers. However, a trader presented a more dire account, indicating that “25 people were killed” and detailing that “more than fifteen transport trucks were looted and subsequently set ablaze by the terrorists.”
Furthermore, another merchant disclosed that around “ten individuals were wounded,” necessitating their evacuation to Bittou. These traders had been returning from Cinkansé, a trading hub on the border with Togo, after their market activities.
“We deplore the loss of life whose bodies were deposited” at “the morgue of the CHR (Regional Hospital Center) of Tenkodogo”, capital of the Center-East region, said in a press release a local official, Sami Beranger Pooda, who does not specify any figures.
Another attack occurred “Thursday around 6 p.m.”, according to the same security source, and “targeted a convoy of several dozen vehicles carrying goods”.
Starting from 2015, Burkina Faso has found itself ensnared in an escalating cycle of violence attributed to jihadist factions associated with both Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. According to data from ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project), this includes over 5,000 incidents since the commencement of 2023.
Regrettably, this wave of violence has resulted in the internal displacement of over two million individuals within the country.
In the middle of July, President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed authority in September 2022 through a coup d’état, lamented the escalating frequency of assaults against civilians. He expressed his belief that the jihadists were displaying “cowardice” through these increasingly prevalent attacks.
France has opted to suspend all forms of developmental aid and financial support for Burkina Faso.
This decision follows a declaration from Burkina Faso’s military regime, affirming that they would perceive any form of armed intervention against the coup leaders in neighboring Niger as a declaration of war. A similar stance has been taken by the military government in Mali.
This development coincides with the expiration of a deadline set by the West African bloc Ecowas for the military coup leaders in Niger to reinstate constitutional order and restore the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
As of Sunday evening, Ecowas has not issued a statement regarding its forthcoming actions, which could involve military intervention.
The coalition had previously communicated that such intervention would be considered a “last option” if all diplomatic and political alternatives prove ineffective.
Mali has announced its intention to dispatch a joint delegation alongside Burkina Faso to Niger, as an expression of solidarity.
This decision follows closely on the heels of a defiance exhibited by the military generals who seized control in Niger against an ultimatum demanding the restoration of the elected president or the potential initiation of armed intervention by fellow West African nations.
The junta in control of Niger’s military declared the closure of the country’s airspace and signaled preparations to safeguard its territorial integrity.
Despite the issued ultimatum, the member nations of the regional group Ecowas are divided regarding the adoption of military measures.
Notably, Nigeria and Ivory Coast are steadfast in their stance that President Mohamed Bazoum should be reinstated.
In a contrasting perspective, the military administrations in Mali and Burkina Faso have indicated their alignment with the coup leaders, asserting their support in the event of an external attack.
All budgetary and development assistance from France to Burkina Faso has been halted.
The announcement follows a statement from the military administration in Burkina Faso that any use of force against the coup leaders in the adjacent Niger would constitute a declaration of war.
It happens after a deadline set by the West African bloc Ecowas for the military coup leaders in Niger to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and restore constitutional order expired on Sunday night.
Regarding the next course of action, which could involve military intervention, Ecowas has not yet made a statement.
This would be the “last option” if all other political and diplomatic measures were unsuccessful, according to the grouping previously.
In the past three years, the West African sub-region has witnessed a total of six successful coups, raising concerns due to their shared characteristics.
Mali experienced two coups, the first in August 2020 and the second in May 2021. Guinea faced a military takeover in 2021, while Burkina Faso encountered two coups in January and September 2022.
In Mali’s case, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted from power by a military coalition in August. Subsequently, Mali’s former Defense Minister, Bah Ndaw, assumed the presidency of the new transitional government, with Colonel Assimi Goita appointed as vice president. However, they were both removed from power a year later in May by Colonel Assimi Goita.
Colonel Assimi Goita
On September 5, 2021, Guinea experienced a coup d’état as the armed forces captured President Alpha Condé, who had extended his stay in power through a constitutional amendment.
In Burkina Faso, President Roch Kabore was ousted from power on January 24, 2022, following a coup led by Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. However, eight months later, military rule was reestablished, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Captain Ibrahim Traoré
The most recent incident is the military takeover in Niger, where General Abdourahamane Tchiani orchestrated a coup on July 26, 2023, overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum.
So who is next?
Experts are troubled by the similarities underlying these coups. In many cases, corruption, political instability, and deteriorating security have been the driving factors.
Guinea’s situation stemmed from President Condé’s alteration of the constitution to extend his term beyond the mandated two terms. He secured a controversial third term in an election marred by violence and alleged irregularities in October 2020.
In Burkina Faso, the escalation of a jihadist insurgency contributed to the leadership change, which was also the reason behind Colonel Assimi Goita’s removal from power.
A recurring theme across these incidents is leaders’ failure to safeguard their citizens. This pattern persists in Niger, as President Bazoum’s administration has faced criticism for inadequately addressing the region’s entrenched violent Islamist extremism over the past decade.
President Mohammed Bazoum
The United Nations Security Council reported that West Africa endured over 1,800 attacks in the first half of 2023, resulting in nearly 4,600 fatalities and grave humanitarian repercussions. Due to these terrorist activities, approximately half a million individuals in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are refugees, with nearly 6.2 million internally displaced.
Experts are concerned that this trend of military takeover is far from over.
Engaging JoyNews on the issue of coups in the West African Sub-region on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, security expert Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso noted that the subject matter of human security has been trivialised by governments.
Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso
He argued that there has been a misplaced priority as the leaders are more interested in maintaining power and conforming to a democratic structure seeking to please global leaders.
“The point is that we have similar specificities within the West African sub Region. Regime security should have been a thing of the past and human security assures the people of a collective way of moving forward.
“Unfortunately, government upon government of the sub region are thinking about the next election, satisfying global norm that there is democracy – frequent elections, institutions of state etc,” he said.
With the issue of political instability in mind, he made a projection on which country in the sub-region is likely to face the same fate as Niger and the others.
Senegal, Mr Antwi-Danso, is currently prone to a dissolution of democratic governance.
“Look at what is happening in Senegal. What is ECOWAS waiting for before they trigger the Panel of the wise to be able to at least, cool things down. And they have a problem with Casamance already. And then the population, a lot of them, it is about 18-20 percent unemployment rate in Senegal, and yet what is happening is so bad.
And when it goes so bad what happens is what I talk about as Systemic Coup. The military will just see that let us intervene before there is an implosion. So I will not be surprised that in future, you will see something like that in Senegal also,” he explained.
Why Senegal?
Senegal is a West African country that has been widely regarded as a model of democracy and stability in the region. However, in recent months, the country has been rocked by protests and violence over the government’s alleged attempts to stifle the opposition and manipulate the electoral process.
The protests were sparked by the decision of the constitutional council, the highest judicial body in Senegal, to invalidate the list of candidates submitted by the main opposition coalition, Pastef-Les Patriotes, for the upcoming legislative elections on July 31.
The council said the list did not meet the legal requirements, such as having a minimum number of female candidates and paying a deposit fee. The opposition denounced the decision as a political maneuver to exclude its leader, Ousmane Sonko, and other prominent opponents from running.
Ousmane Sonko
Sonko is a popular and outspoken critic of President Macky Sall, who has been in power since 2012. Sonko came third in the 2019 presidential election and is seen as a potential contender for the 2024 election.
He has accused Sall of corruption, nepotism, and authoritarianism. He has also faced legal troubles, such as being arrested in March on rape charges that he claims were fabricated to eliminate him from politics. His arrest triggered a wave of violent protests that left at least 14 people dead.
On June 18, thousands of Sonko’s supporters took to the streets in Dakar and other cities to demand his reinstatement on the ballot and to denounce Sall’s rule. The protests turned violent as protesters clashed with security forces, who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them.
According to Amnesty International, at least three people were killed and dozens were injured in the unrest. Several opposition figures were also arrested and charged with inciting violence and insurrection.
The protests have exposed the deepening political crisis and social discontent in Senegal, which is facing economic challenges, rising poverty, and high unemployment, especially among the youth.
They have also raised concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Senegal. Some observers have warned that Senegal’s democratic credentials are at risk of eroding under Sall’s administration, which has been accused of using the judiciary and security forces to silence dissent and consolidate power.
The international community, including regional bodies such as ECOWAS and the AU, have called for dialogue and restraint from all parties to preserve peace and stability in Senegal. They have also urged the government to respect the rights of citizens to protest peacefully and to participate in free and fair elections.
The opposition, meanwhile, has vowed to continue its mobilization until its demands are met. The outcome of the legislative elections, which will determine the composition of the 165-seat National Assembly, will have significant implications for Senegal’s political future and its role in West Africa.
Casamance
Casamance is a region in southern Senegal that has been the site of a separatist rebellion since 1982. The rebels, known as the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), claim that the region has been neglected and exploited by the central government in Dakar. The conflict has claimed thousands of lives and displaced tens of thousands of people. It has also hampered the development of the region, which is rich in natural resources and tourism potential.
The situation in Casamance has been affected by the recent political crisis and protests in Senegal over the government’s alleged attempts to sideline the opposition and manipulate the electoral process. Some observers have suggested that the government may be using the Casamance issue as a diversion from its domestic problems, or as a bargaining chip with the opposition.
In March 2022, the Senegalese army launched a military offensive against one of the factions of the MFDC, led by Salif Sadio, who is considered to be the most radical and violent among the rebel leaders. The offensive came after four Senegalese soldiers were killed and seven others captured by Sadio’s fighters in a border area with Gambia in January. The army said it aimed to dismantle Sadio’s bases and restore security in the area.
The offensive has put pressure on Sadio’s faction, which has been weakened by internal divisions, defections, and lack of external support. Some of his fighters have surrendered or fled to neighbouring countries. However, Sadio himself remains at large and has vowed to continue his struggle until independence is achieved.
Meanwhile, another faction of the MFDC, led by Cesar Atoute Badiate, who is seen as more moderate and pragmatic than Sadio, has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with the government and end the conflict peacefully. In May 2023, Badiate’s faction signed a peace agreement with a local civil society group, known as Diakaye Platform for Peace, which has been mediating between the rebels and the authorities. The agreement calls for a ceasefire, disarmament, demining, and development projects in Casamance.
The government has welcomed the agreement as a positive step towards resolving the Casamance issue, but has also stressed that any dialogue with the rebels must be based on respect for Senegal’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty. The government has also called on Sadio’s faction to join the peace process and renounce violence.
The prospects for peace in Casamance depend largely on the political will and commitment of both sides to find a lasting solution that addresses the root causes and grievances of the conflict.
It also requires the involvement and support of other actors, such as civil society groups, religious leaders, traditional authorities, neighbouring countries, and regional and international organisations. Peace in Casamance would not only benefit the people of the region, but also contribute to stability and development in Senegal and West Africa.
Senegal's interior minister said it had dissolved the party of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko for rallying supporters into stoking violence during protests last month, prompting more calls for resistance as demonstrators clashed with police https://t.co/4JLXdqO0Hupic.twitter.com/qGBIiaZHR1
Meanwhile, the Dr Antwi-Danso warns that Ghana, despite being tagged as a respecter of democracy could be hit by the unexpected.
Dr Antwi-Danso indicated that the indiscipline in the country puts the nation at risk of a military taker.
“With Ghana, we should be very careful. Let’s not play the ostrich that everybody sees Ghana as a serious Democratic country.
“The level of indiscipline in the country, the lack of human security is such that when there is anything untoward, we will see some explosion in Ghana.
“There is hardly any country in the West African sub region that does not have the ingredient for implosion and that is what we should be thinking about,” he explained.
President of the Ghanaian community in Niger, Seidu Abudu, has reassured that his fellow Ghanaians in Niger are safe despite the ongoing military unrest in the country.
While the Ghanaian community is secure in their homes, business activities have been severely impacted due to the unfortunate events.
The military takeover in Niger has sparked concerns about the safety of Ghanaians who conduct business in the country.
In an interview with the media on August 2, 2023, Seidu Abudu confirms that around 500 to 600 Ghanaian citizens reside in Niger, and measures are being taken to protect them.
“I am in Miami right now, everything is in control. As the Ghana community president, my concern is to protect the Ghanaians in this country. We [Ghanaians] are all safe, and there is no problem with that. Right now there are no plans to evacuate Ghanaians but we will discuss it when we meet the embassy officials.
“Right now we have 500 to 600 Ghanaians who are living in Niger. As I am speaking, we are trying our best to put things down so that in case of anything we will be able to protect Ghanaians,” he noted.
Although there are currently no plans to evacuate Ghanaians, discussions with embassy officials will be held to address any future actions as necessary.
Seidu Abudu further highlights that Ghanaians engaged in business in Niger are facing significant disruptions due to the crisis and the closure of borders.
“Right now everything has come to a halt and we cannot move because all the borders have been closed. all those selling onions and cow legs are at a standstill. Latest by tomorrow we will be meeting with the Ghanaian embassy in Niger. Since Sunday’s demonstration, everything is calm,” he added.
He notes that all activities have come to a halt, impacting businesses like onion and cow leg sellers.
In the wake of the coup in Niger, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has directed the military to restore the normal government system or face potential military intervention.
The situation has resulted in the dissolution of the country’s constitution, suspension of institutions, and closure of borders to prevent further intrusion.
Notably, President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, had been held by troops from the presidential guard early Wednesday.
US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, has expressed unwavering support to him.
Recent coups have also affected neighboring countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, triggered by Jihadist unrest.
Banks have shown their determination to rebuild the industry to its pre-Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) level of financial soundness and regain a path of growth and profitability.
The 2023 PwC Ghana Banking Survey indicates that the financial performance data reported in the first quarter of 2023 partially confirms that this journey has commenced.
However, the banks acknowledge the need for internal improvements to strengthen their risk shields, enhance risk agility, and enable them to withstand potential future shocks similar to the impact of the DDEP.
As they consider investments to increase their resilience, bank executives have highlighted key actions they would like to see from the government, economic managers, and the industry’s regulator to complement their own efforts.
These actions include the government’s rapid implementation of the Ghana Financial Stability Fund and swift and rigorous policies to bring the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio to sustainable levels.
Additionally, good macroeconomic and macro-financial sector management is sought to bring down interest rates, inflation, and currency depreciation to levels that encourage bank lending to the real economy, thus fueling economic growth.
Lastly, apart from the Bank of Ghana, which is the industry’s regulator, the Ministry of Finance is urged to establish a permanent framework for regular or periodic dialogue with the banking sector.
The survey highlights the impact of the DDEP on the performance of Ghanaian banks in 2022, expresses optimism among bank executives about their future performance, and acknowledges the necessity for adopting different approaches in the future.
Any military action taken against the leaders of last week’s coup in Niger would be viewed as a “declaration of war” against those countries, according to the military governments of Burkina Faso and Mali.
Following threats from West African leaders to use force to restore deposed Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s neighbors on Monday issued the warning in unified declarations that were read out on their national broadcasters.
“The transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali express their fraternal solidarity … to the people of Niger, who have decided with full responsibility to take their destiny in hand and assume the fullness of their sovereignty before history,” the military governments of the two countries said.
“Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali,” they warned, adding that such a move could result in “disastrous consequences” that “could destabilise the entire region”.
The military authorities of Burkina Faso and Mali have expressed their refusal to adhere to the “illegal, illegitimate, and inhumane sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger” in response to the coup that took place in Niger on July 26. This coup has created ripples across West Africa, leading to divisions among the country’s former Western allies and regional bodies and other nations in the region.
The coup leaders in Niger, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former presidential guard chief, cited poor governance and dissatisfaction with President Bazoum’s handling of security threats from al-Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups as the reasons behind their actions.
This coup marks the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa, prompting immediate condemnation from the African Union, the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, and other influential powers.
The regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Niger, including a halt in all financial transactions and a freeze of national assets. It has also indicated the possibility of authorizing force to reinstate President Bazoum, who is believed to be under house arrest in Niamey, the capital.
In response to the sanctions, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have expressed their disagreement. Guinea’s President Mamady Doumbouya, whose government also came to power through a coup, stated that the sanctions would not solve the current problem and could lead to a humanitarian disaster extending beyond Niger’s borders. Guinea’s government has decided not to apply the sanctions, considering them illegitimate and inhumane, and has called on ECOWAS to reconsider its position.
Meanwhile, the coup leaders in Niger have attempted to consolidate their control by arresting top officials of the toppled government. The situation in Niger has drawn international concern, with the United States, France, and Germany calling for a restoration of President Bazoum to power.
Amid the coup’s aftermath, anti-French sentiments have fueled protests outside Paris’s embassy in Niamey, with demonstrators expressing support for Russia. There are concerns that the instability in Niger may present opportunities for groups like the Wagner Group, a Russian private mercenary company, to exert influence.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, spoke approvingly of the coup, while the Kremlin in Russia expressed serious concern over the situation in Niger. The developments in Niger are closely monitored by the international community due to their potential implications for regional stability and security.
Health authorities in Burkina Faso have granted approval for the use of a new malaria vaccine on young children, raising hopes for saving millions of lives.
The R21 vaccine has already received approval in Ghana and Nigeria.
Malaria remains the leading cause of infant mortality in Burkina Faso, making the introduction of this new vaccine a crucial step in the fight against the disease, according to Health Minister Robert Kargougou.
Successful trials involving 5,000 children have been conducted for the R21 vaccine.
This vaccine will be made available for children aged between five months and 36 months, and each dose is expected to cost a couple of US dollars.
The Serum Institute of India has the capacity to produce two million doses annually, and there are plans to establish a factory in Ghana, where the use of the vaccine has already been approved, along with Nigeria
Security Analyst, Dr. Adam Bonaa, is firmly advocating for the prosecution of refugees apprehended with weapons and ammunition at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.
In light of the escalating hostility within the West Africa sub-region, he believes that individuals, even if they are refugees, who are suspected to be involved in terrorism, militancy, or armed conflict, should not be exempted from facing legal consequences under any circumstances.
“Some of them could be terrorists or are combatants fleeing from the conflicts they have started in their country. Prosecute those caught and send them back to their home country to serve whatever sentence given them,” Dr Bonaa said.
Following the arrest of refugees disguised as nursing mothers and found in possession of weapons, the National Security has significantly heightened surveillance measures at the country’s border with Burkina Faso.
In response to this concerning incident, Dr. Bonaa emphasized the importance of the State working closely with neighboring countries, particularly those affected by conflicts, to gather comprehensive profiles of these alleged refugees. He further recommended that their fingerprints be taken before repatriating them.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said: “The chances are that some of them will go, disguise themselves and come back again. Others too run into Ghana when the heat is on in their country, go back to stoke the fire when everything seemed to have died out.”
Dr Bonaa said though Ghana was a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the arrested refugees should face the full rigours of the law without any fear that Ghana could be seen in bad light by the international community.
“The international community should respect our sovereignty. As a member of the Commonwealth Nations and UN, we shall not allow anybody to come and destabilise this country,” he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Defence Minister, Kwaku Amankwah Manu, stated that this recent development has compelled security agencies to strengthen their efforts in screening asylum seekers. He asserted that the government is resolute in not compromising the safety of Ghanaians in favor of protecting the rights of asylum seekers.
“So, we really need to be on the lookout, we have the Ghanaian people to protect, we have properties to protect, we cannot say that because we want to be compassionate, we will not look at the security of our nation,” he said.
Ranking Member on Defence and Interior committee of Parliament, James Agalga, said government had every right to screen the refugees, but must also be mindful of international treaties that protected the rights of the asylum seekers.
“Government clearly has a commitment not to repatriate refugees who are refugees where they may face very serious threats to their lives and fundamental freedoms,” he said.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has issued a warning about the escalating hunger crisis in Burkina Faso, attributing it to the ongoing security challenges in certain regions of the country.
Presently, approximately 2.2 million people, which accounts for one in ten of the population, are already facing hunger. However, the situation is expected to worsen, with the IRC predicting that this number could rise to 3.3 million by September.
The surge in militant Islamist insurgency has severely impacted parts of Burkina Faso, leading to significant disruptions in food supplies and the closure of healthcare facilities.
The resulting isolation has left communities almost entirely cut off from assistance. Particularly affected is the northern town of Djibo, which is currently hosting over 200,000 people who have been displaced from their homes in other regions.
The once-thriving food market in Djibo is now nearly empty, and an alarming 80% of local health clinics have been forced to shut down, as per the IRC’s report.
Tragically, last year, a supply convoy en route to Djibo, escorted by the army, was ambushed, resulting in the loss of 11 soldiers’ lives.
The IRC is calling for greater international attention to address the dire situation faced by the people in Burkina Faso.
The country is currently under the governance of a military junta led by President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed power in October with a promise to reclaim territory from the militants. However, the security challenges persist, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the nation.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has issued a warning that an additional one million people in Burkina Faso could be facing hunger in the coming months due to the ongoing insecurity in certain parts of the country.
Presently, an estimated 2.2 million people, which is one in 10 of the population, are already experiencing hunger. However, the IRC projects that this number could escalate to 3.3 million by September.
The persistent militant Islamist insurgency has resulted in some regions becoming almost completely isolated, with limited access to food supplies and the closure of health facilities.
The situation in the northern town of Djibo, which accommodates over 200,000 people displaced from other areas, is particularly dire. The once-thriving food market is now nearly empty, and a significant proportion of local health clinics have been forced to close down.
Tragically, last year, 11 soldiers lost their lives in an ambush when they were escorting a supply convoy en route to Djibo.
The IRC has called for increased international attention to the plight of people in Burkina Faso as they struggle with food insecurity and the challenges brought about by the ongoing conflict.
Currently, the country is under the governance of a military junta led by President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed power in October of the previous year with the commitment to reclaim territories from the militants.
The Ghana Refugee Board has stated that its outfit has registered more than 3,200 Burkinabe seeking asylum from the country.
“Ghana currently hosts refugees and asylum seekers from about 35 different countries, who are received and registered by the Ghana Refugee Board on a daily basis,” a statement issued by the Ministry on Wednesday, July 19 said.
“Over the past few years, some nationals of Burkina Faso have sought refuge in the Northern Regions of Ghana due to armed attacks on them by extremist elements.
“The Ghana Refugee Board has successfully registered over 3,200 Burkinabe asylum seekers. Registration is still ongoing.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior has raised worry about recent allegations of the expulsion of Burkinabe nationals seeking asylum in the country.
The reports were first brought to the attention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who condemned Ghana’s actions, saying they “amount to a violation of the non-refoulement principle, and guarantee access to the territory and asylum to nationals of Burkina Faso seeking international protection.”
Despite the Ministry of National Security previously dismissing the accusations, the Interior Ministry has chimed in on the matter, emphasizing that Ghana has hosted refugees from all over the world since the 1960s.
It stated that a receiving center has been established at Tarikom in the Bawku West District of the Upper West Region with the assistance of UNHCR to assist in the relocation of refugees.
“So far, over 500 Burkinabe Asylum Seekers have been relocated.”
It emphasized that Burkinabes continue to enter Ghana and that “our country continues to guarantee those seeking asylum international protection, ensuring that all of their rights as asylum seekers are respected.”
It stated that the Ghana Refugee Board would continue to provide necessary interventions for all asylum seekers and refugees until permanent solutions to their refugee predicament were established.
“Without prejudice to the security challenges in the sub-region involving other stakeholders, we shall continue to honour our obligations counting on adequate support from our partners/UN system.”
The Ministry also stated that the government will not abandon its responsibility to safeguard and care for the vulnerable members of society.
On Tuesday, Burkina Faso‘s junta leader strongly condemned the “cowardice” of the country’s jihadist rebels following reports of two attacks that resulted in the deaths of at least 10 civilians, as confirmed by local and security sources.
Residents of Nouna, the local capital of Kossi province in the west, contacted by telephone, said shells hit the town late Monday.
“The toll is six dead and four wounded,” one resident said.
Nouna has in recent months become a refuge for thousands of people who have fled repeated jihadist assaults on their homes.
A security source confirmed the attack on Nouna to AFP, saying “fragments of rockets were found in the area.”
The same evening some 400 kilometres (250 miles) to the south, Tondoura, near the border with Ivory Coast, also came under attack, a local official told AFP asking not to be named.
“Terrorists attacked the village,” he said. “Some villagers, armed with rifles, tried to intervene but were quickly overrun. “We have at least four dead, some wounded and various physical damage.”
Locals hide from suspected jihadists
Several locals said that, for more than a month, people have been forced to seek shelter from suspected jihadists in the nearby towns of Niangoloko and Banfora.
Junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a coup in September last year, denounced the jihadists for their “cowardice” and admitted “increasingly frequent attacks against civilians.”
Speaking during a meeting with representatives of women’s associations from across the West African country, Traore also lashed out at the “imperialists” he said, “imposed this war.”
An economic structural adjustment program by the International Monetary Fund, implemented in the 1990s, was “a way of weakening our armies. They succeeded,” he said.
Junta faces insurgency
Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta faces a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
Anger within the military at failures to roll back the insurgency sparked two coups last year.
More than 10,000 civilians, troops and police have died in the violence, according to an NGO count, while at least 2 million people have been displaced.
Sensitisation on the activities of terrorism has been beefed in the country as the National Security Ministry has extended the “See something, say something” campaign to the Upper East Region.
As part of a series of regional initiatives, the ongoing campaign by the Ministry of National Security seeks to raise awareness among residents in the Upper East Region about personal security and activities that may pose a threat to community safety. The campaign aims to foster active participation from the community in safeguarding and maintaining national security.
According to the ministry, national security is a shared responsibility that requires the general buy-in of citizens to complement the effort of government.
Thus, the campaign in the region is to sensitize members of border communities to be vigilant at all times and share information with security agencies or call a toll-free number (999) on suspicious activities and characters to avert a possible mishap.
The ministry said, the campaign, now more than ever, had become important given happenings in neighbouring countries, particularly Burkina Faso.
Addressing a cross-section of residents in the respective districts in the region, Mrs. Akosua Danquah Ntim Sekyere, leader of the campaign team, indicated that the influx of refugees from Burkina Faso into the region required vigilance from the residents to identify and report suspicious characters, adding that “we can’t be sure of who is coming in, even though some come in with refugee status.
You cannot look at a person’s face and tell their intentions; hence, public education is aimed at sensitising the citizenry to be aware of the dangers that come with the influx of refugees, as well as their roles as citizens to help safeguard national security.”
Mrs. Ntim Sekyere further expressed concern at the rate of prank calls to the emergency call center (toll-free number 999) and admonished all to desist from the practise and only call to report suspicious activities or characters. According to her, “Out of the calls received at the call centre daily, prank calls outnumber valid calls, a very worrying trend.”
She indicated that the campaign was a national assignment devoid of political affiliations and urged traditional leaders and members of the communities to contribute to safeguarding national security.
Residents were also urged to maintain effective communication channels with community leaders and security agencies, promote openness, and share information by observing and reporting individuals exhibiting signs of radicalisation or unusual behaviours.
The traditional leaders across the border communities commended the government for the initiative and called for the improvement of border security measures, including unapproved routes.
They also pledged their unflinching support for the campaign as well as ensuring peace and stability in their respective communities and the region as a whole.
The flagship campaign launched last year by the Ministry of National Security has been executed in the Eastern, Ashanti, and Volta regions.
The campaign which is aimed at creating a safer environment by raising awareness and promoting proactive involvement in countering potential security threats, will be replicated in the other twelve (12) regions.
On Saturday, 8th July 2023, President Akufo-Addo embarked on a journey from Ghana to lead the Ghanaian delegation at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, taking place in Bissau, the capital of Guinea Bissau.
During this gathering, the Heads of State will engage in discussions regarding the withdrawal of MINUSMA from Mali, the progress of the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme, and the political challenges faced by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.
Accompanying President Akufo-Addo are Hon. Albert Kan Dapaah, the Minister for National Security, as well as officials from the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry.
The President is scheduled to return to Ghana on Sunday, 9th July 2023. In his absence, Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will assume the responsibilities of acting President, as mandated by Article 60(8) of the Constitution.
A survey by Afrobarometer has revealed a drastic rise in corruption across 36 African countries in 2021 and 2022.
In these countries, the report indicates a significant increase of 46% in corruption, a moderate increase of 12%, and a stagnation at approximately 20%.
According to the survey, nearly 58% of Africans state that corruption has intensified in their respective countries over the past year.
Afrobarometer emphasized the situation has notably deteriorated in 12 out of 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022.
The report further highlights specific countries where corruption has witnessed a sharp surge, including Senegal (leading with a 39-percentage point increase), Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d’Ivoire (+22 points).
“Almost six in 10 Africans (58%) say that corruption in their countries increased over the past year. The situation has worsened significantly in 12 of the 30 countries surveyed in both 2014/2015 and 2021/2022, most dramatically in Senegal (where perceptions of increasing corruption have risen by 39 percentage points), Burkina Faso (+29 points), Gabon (+24 points), Cameroon (+23 points), and Côte d’Ivoire (+22 points).
In contrast, Afrobarometer’s report highlights a remarkable improvement in Benin, where the proportion of respondents reporting an increase in corruption dropped significantly by -61 percentage points.
Additionally, Afrobarometer notes that while a majority of Africans acknowledge the increase in corruption within their countries, there is a prevailing fear among individuals to report such cases to authorities.
“A majority of Africans say that corruption has increased in their countries, but an even larger proportion fear retaliation should they report corrupt acts to the authorities,” Afrobarometer hinted in its report.
Maame Akua Amoah Twum, Afrobarometer’s communications coordinator for anglophone West and North Africa, revealed these findings during a corruption webinar hosted by the Data for Governance Alliance in partnership with the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption.
The webinar’s theme was “Civil society organizations’ Contribution to driving accountability in the Fight against Corruption in Africa.”
This event served as a prelude to the 20th anniversary celebration of the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), scheduled to take place on 11th July 2023 in Arusha, Tanzania.
Media regulator in Burkina Faso has imposed a three-month ban on a French television news channel, alleging the dissemination of false information regarding jihadist violence.
The high council for communication (CSC) accused LCI of making misleading statements, claiming that jihadists were making significant progress while government troops were using local defense force volunteers as cannon fodder to shield themselves from the attacks.
Earlier in April, the government of Ouagadougou expelled journalists from French newspapers Le Monde and Liberation.
Additionally, two other broadcasters, France 24 and Radio France International, have been indefinitely suspended in response to their actions in the country.
The Bole Sector Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has conducted a repatriation exercise for a large group of Fulani families from Burkina Faso who entered Ghana through an unauthorized route in the Hamile area of the Upper West Region.
The families, including men, women, and children, were escorted by the Immigration Service to the Hamile border post in the Upper West Region and subsequently returned to their country of origin, Burkina Faso.
Upon entering through the unapproved routes, the Fulani families boarded Yutong buses and arrived in Mankuma, located in the Bole District, with the intention of settling there.
However, alarmed residents raised concerns about their presence and resisted their offloading on May 25, 2023. In response, the Fulani families reboarded the buses, intending to continue their journey to the southern part of Ghana.
The vigilant Bole Sector Command of the Immigration Service, known for their diligent border protection efforts, intercepted the Fulani families at the Wakawaka Inland Immigration Checkpoint in the Bole District.
Among the travelers were 11 adult males, 10 adult females, and 32 children. They were subsequently escorted to the office of the Bole Sector Immigration Service Command for further questioning and eventual repatriation under the supervision of Immigration Officers.
Investigations carried out by local radio station Nkilgi FM in Bole revealed that the Fulani villages in Burkina Faso had been targeted by members of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), a community vigilante group tasked with combating violent extremists who currently occupy a significant portion of the country.
The vigilante group has accused the Fulani community of collaborating with these extremists, leading to their attempts to seek refuge in Ghana.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Burkina Faso on Saturday in a number of the country’s major towns to show their support for Captain Ibrahim Traoré and protest the “destabilization desires” of the nation.
In Ouagadougou, where the large market remained closed, demonstrators burned a French flag and that of the European Union in support of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in a coup on September 30, 2022.
Thursday, during a televised interview, Captain Traoré denounced the actions of a coalition against Burkina Faso, claiming to have turned to “strategic allies” such as Russia and Turkey. The country has witnessed two military coups, and jihadist violence has spiraled and claimed more than 10,000 lives.
Burkina Faso’s interim president, Capt Ibrahim Traore, has said he was satisfied with his country’s military ties with Russia, which he described as “a strategic partner”.
“I am satisfied with our military co-operation with Russia. Besides, Burkina Faso’s cooperation with Russia dates back to a long time, but we are developing it and move it further,” he said on Thursday in an interview with state-run channel RTB TV.
He denied that Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group were supporting Burkinabe forces in their fight against Islamist armed groups.
He said the exit of French forces from the country “does not mean that France is no longer an ally because the French embassy is still here”.
But he cited “new forms of co-operation” describing Russia as an an example of “a strategic ally”. He said Turkiye was a major partner.
He also mentioned North Korea, saying it had supported Burkina Faso in the past with heavy military equipment that was still in use – and would want more supplies from there.
Capt Traore said Burkina Faso has many international partners, but “will only collaborate with those who want to help us, like sell us equipment and support us”.
Capt. Ibrahim Traore, the interim president of Burkina Faso, expressed satisfaction with his nation’s military ties with Russia, which he called “a strategic partner.”
“I am satisfied with our military co-operation with Russia. Besides, Burkina Faso’s cooperation with Russia dates back to a long time, but we are developing it and move it further,” he said on Thursday in an interview with state-run channel RTB TV.
He denied that Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group were supporting Burkinabe forces in their fight against Islamist armed groups.
He said the exit of French forces from the country “does not mean that France is no longer an ally because the French embassy is still here”.
But he cited “new forms of co-operation” describing Russia as an an example of “a strategic ally”. He said Turkiye was a major partner.
He also mentioned North Korea, saying it had supported Burkina Faso in the past with heavy military equipment that was still in use – and would want more supplies from there.
Capt Traore said Burkina Faso has many international partners, but “will only collaborate with those who want to help us, like sell us equipment and support us”.
In the village of Karma in northern Burkina Faso, on April 20, men in army fatigues killed 136 civilians, including 50 women and 21 children, according to a Burkinabe human rights organization.
“Our teams have documented and recorded 136 lifeless bodies in Karma, including 50 women and 21 children, among them babies under 30 days old killed on their mothers’ backs,” the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities (CISC) said in a statement sent to AFP on Friday.
The official death toll, announced on Sunday by the public prosecutor in Ouahigouya, capital of the northern region, was around sixty, while survivors and residents of Karma put it at “more than a hundred”.
Other nearby villages were also targeted on April 20 by these men in military garb, killing six in Dinguiri, two in Ménè, and three on the road between Ouahigouya and Barga, according to CISC.
In Karma, “they grouped civilians by the dozens and by neighborhoods, taking care to assign armed men to each grouping, with the slogan: ‘Kill everyone,’” said CISC President Daouda Diallo, winner of the 2022 Martin Ennals Prize, the “Nobel Prize” for human rights.
The CISC recalls that these massacres came after a jihadist attack on April 15, during which six soldiers and at least 34 army auxiliaries were killed near a village in the same region.
“Survivors’ testimonies indicate that the attackers accused the inhabitants of the village of Karma of harboring members of terrorist groups,” Diallo said.
The CISC “strongly and vehemently condemns this latest massacre,” recalling a series of deaths attributed to soldiers and auxiliaries in the fight against armed jihadist groups.
It demands a “full and impartial judicial inquiry into these horrific crimes against civilians, in order to bring all those responsible and the instigators to justice”, considering that “impunity opens the way to all possible abuses, ranging from settling of scores to large-scale massacres”.
On Thursday, the government “strongly” condemned “these despicable and barbaric acts” and said it was “following very closely the progress of the investigation”, opened by the Ouahigouya prosecutor in order to “clarify” the facts and “question all those involved”.
Burkina Faso, the scene of two military coups in 2022, has been caught since 2015 in a spiral of jihadist violence that began in Mali and Niger a few years earlier and has spread beyond their borders.
The violence has left more than 10,000 civilians and soldiers dead over the past seven years, according to NGOs, and some two million people internally displaced.
Thirty-three troops have been slained in a fresh violent attack by alleged jihadists on Thursday in eastern Burkina Faso, a Sahelian nation that has been spiraling further and farther into the unrest that first surfaced in 2015.
“The military detachment of Ougarou,” in the eastern region, “faced a large-scale complex attack on Thursday morning,” said an army statement. “Thirty-three of our soldiers, unfortunately, fell with their weapons in their hands, while twelve others were wounded,” it added.
“During the fighting, which was particularly intense, the soldiers of the detachment showed remarkable determination in the face of an enemy that came in very large numbers,” according to the army, which said they “managed to neutralize at least forty terrorists before the arrival of reinforcements.
The deployment of these reinforcements “has enabled the evacuation of the wounded who are currently being treated by the health services,” according to the army.
Security sources said the attackers were “heavily armed” and that “some soldiers are missing”.
The statement said that “the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces salutes the memory of the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the performance of their duty. “He encourages all units engaged in operations to maintain efforts to strengthen the momentum of the ongoing recovery,” the text adds.
The attack comes a week after the April 20 massacre of at least 60 civilians in the northern village of Karma by men wearing army fatigues.
Officially revealed on Sunday, it left “sixty” dead according to a local prosecutor, “more than a hundred” according to representatives of the survivors and residents of Karma.
– “Vile and barbaric acts” –
The government “strongly condemned these despicable and barbaric acts” on Thursday and said it was closely following the progress of the investigation” opened by the prosecutor of the Ouahigouya (northern) high court to “elucidate” the facts and “arrest all those involved”.
The victims of Karma were buried on Thursday evening.
“The administrative authorities mobilized for the burial of the remains of our mothers, our fathers, our sisters and our sons”, that is to say “a hundred people”, Daouda Belem, one of the survivors, told AFP.
He thanked the government for “allowing Karma to bury its dead” and called for collaboration with the gendarmerie in its investigation.
On April 18, at least 24 people, including 20 civilian army replacements, were killed in two attacks by suspected jihadists in east-central Burkina.
On April 15, six soldiers and 34 civilian auxiliaries were killed in the north during an assault on their detachment.
Burkina Faso, the scene of two military coups in 2022, has been caught since 2015 in a spiral of jihadist violence that began in Mali and Niger a few years earlier and has spread beyond their borders.
The violence has left more than 10,000 civilians and soldiers dead over the past seven years, according to NGOs, and some two million people displaced.
Burkina Faso’s transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power in a coup in September 2022, signed a one-year “general mobilization” decree last week, allowing for the requisition of “young people aged 18 and over” to go and fight against the jihadists who are bloodying the country.
Thirty-three soldiers in north-east Burkina Faso have been killed in a suspected Islamist militant attack.
Per reports, this is the second of such attack in a week.
The military-led government in the capital Ouagadougou spoke for the first time on Thursday about last week’s killing of over 100 civilians by what local officials described as men in military uniform.
The government has not said whether the attack on the north-western village of Karma was carried out by the army, but it called for a full investigation.
Non-governmental organisations say over 10,000 civilians and soldiers have been killed in the long-running insurgency, and attacks have sharply increased since the start of this year.
The National Tomato Transporters and Sellers Association has blamed the recent spike in tomato prices on the ongoing challenges in importing from Burkina Faso.
According to the Queen Mother of the Greater Accra Tomato Transporters and Sellers Association, Otumfuor Charity, Ghana relies heavily on imports to meet its demand for tomatoes, but recent disruptions to the supply chain from its northern neighbour have left retailers struggling to keep up with demand.
Speaking to Citi News, Otumfuor Charity explained, “There is indeed a shortage of tomatoes, but it is not intentional. In Ghana, from December to May, we do not harvest tomatoes. The tomatoes we consume are from Burkina Faso during this period. This year there have been ongoing conflicts in Burkina Faso, so entering the country has become increasingly difficult. Every year we go for tomatoes, but the prices don’t increase to this extent. This year has been different.”
She also lamented the increase in the price of the product.
“Right now, a crate of tomatoes goes for over 130,000 CFA. The high exchange rate is also not helping matters. You also need to pay for transportation, so if you borrowed money for your trade, you need to pay for the debt.”
Bintu Mohammed, a tomato import trader, explains the dangers she went through these past few days to bring tomato products into the country.
“It takes three days to harvest tomatoes and bring them into Ghana. When it gets here, some of the tomatoes start to rot. There are conflicts where we go to buy the tomatoes. It takes heart to travel and come back. We sometimes do not eat or drink water for the three days we travel. Human beings are beheaded before our eyes. They do not attack Ghanaians. If you show them your Ghana card, they will let you go. We do not understand the conflict. We are only there to buy tomatoes to come and sell here.”
In two separate strikes on villages in northern Burkina Faso, at least 44 civilians were killed, according to local authorities.
Rodolphe Sorgho, the local governor, denounced terrorists for the “despicable and barbarous” attacks without mentioning any specific organization.
Sorgho issued a statement in which he expressed his “sincere sympathies to the grieving families and wishes for the wounded’s quick recovery.”
There were little further information available about the attacks, although a resident of one of the villages told AFP that late on Thursday, “a great number of terrorists” attacked, and gunshots could be heard all through the night.
One of the most impoverished nations in the world, Burkina Faso has emerged as the focal point of atrocities committed by jihadists affiliated with the Islamic State and al Qaeda.
The violence began in neighboring Mali in 2012 but has since spread across the arid expanse of the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert.
Large areas of the north and east of Burkina Faso have become ungovernable since 2018. Millions have fled their homes, fearing further raids by gunmen who frequently descend on rural communities on motorbikes. Thousands have been killed.
Sixteen-year-old Adama has walked to his grandmother’s home in the north of Burkina Faso innumerable times to feed the cows.
The kid who aspired to become an imam, however, failed to return home one day in the middle of February.
His family last saw him in a terrifying smartphone video that was shared on social media in the days following his abduction.
Adama was lying next to six other lads who were also covered in blood, their wrists shackled and the majority of them dressed only to the waist.
They were surrounded by about a dozen men, many in military fatigues, walking among the bodies, some taking video.
Sprinting through the frame, one man came to a halt over Adama and slammed a rock onto his head.
As blood streamed from the jagged wound, the man shooting the video chuckled.
“This one… was still alive,” said the man, referring to Adama, whose last name is being withheld by The Associated Press out of concern for the safety of his family.
“Good-for-nothing! You don’t have anything to do but to kill people. We’ll kill you one after another.”
Burkina Faso’s military has denied responsibility for the killings, which is a potential war crime under international law.
But a frame-by-frame analysis of the 83-second video by AP and an examination of satellite imagery shows the killings happened inside a military base about two kilometers (one and a quarter miles) northwest of Ouahigouya, a regional capital near where Adama lived.
From their uniforms and vehicles, AP also determined troops in the video were members of Burkina Faso’s security forces, which until recently received military training and hardware from the United States and European Union.
And through exclusive interviews with Adama’s mother and uncle, AP was also able to reconstruct his final hours.
For seven years, Burkina Faso has been wracked by violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
Frustration at the government’s inability to stem the violence led to two coups last year by military juntas vowing to stamp out the insurgency.
Yet little has changed, with Burkina Faso overtaking Afghanistan as the nation with the most deaths globally from extremist violence, according to a report by the Global Terrorism Index.
A former French colony, Burkina Faso is a majority Muslim country that was initially spared jihadi violence that began in neighboring Mali 10 years ago.
France sent troops into the region to drive back the Islamic militants in 2013.
The violence has since swept across the vast semi-arid area of Africa south of the Sahara Desert.
Despite the jihadi violence, some civilians say they are more afraid of Burkina Faso’s security forces, who they accuse of extrajudicial killings and the disappearance of untold numbers of others accused of supporting the militants.
The killings have only grown under the junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in September.
Part of the junta’s strategy has been to recruit some 50,000 volunteer fighters to serve alongside the military.
But residents say this has only contributed to civilian killings as the volunteers round up anyone they suspect of ties to the extremists.
Often those swept up are members of the minority ethnic Fulani, a largely Muslim group who mostly live in the north, where fighting has been most intense.
On the day that Adama, who was Fulani, disappeared his grandmother searched their village for him.
Hours later she learned the truth: Her grandson and a fellow cattle herder the family identified only as Ousseni had been seized by men on motorbikes and taken to a military base.
Ousseni, who is not Fulani, told her the security forces briefly questioned him before releasing him.
He said he overheard the troops accuse them of being jihadis.
Fearful for his life, Ousseni fled the country soon after speaking to Adama’s grandmother.
The video of Adama’s killing began circulating on WhatsApp chat groups around 14 February.
A few days later, the teen’s body was found on a roadside near the military base where the video was filmed.
The AP spoke to members of Adama’s family who fled their homes after he disappeared.
Adama’s uncle heard his nephew was abducted by security forces from the boy’s grandmother.
Adama’s mother heard separately about her son’s seizure from another relative who saw him grabbed by security forces.
Neither the boy’s uncle nor his mother wanted their names used for fear of reprisal.
During an interview with The Associated Press, the 40-year-old uncle replayed the video showing his nephew’s lifeless body.
“No one can escape death, but it is the way you die that makes a difference. This way of dying is so horrible,” he said.
He added he recognized his nephew from the blue shorts he was wearing and his body.
Adama’s mother has not seen the video; the family has kept it from her to spare her further anguish.
His body was buried by neighbors.
Nearly 300 civilians have been killed in attacks involving Burkina Faso security forces between October and February, compared to about 100 during the same period a year ago, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.
The violence has also taken a sharp ethnic turn, with the Fulani, including children, increasingly targeted.
“The abduction of children during sweep operations by some men in the security forces is not new,” said Daouda Diallo, general secretary of the Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of Communities, a local rights group.
Using evidence from the video, AP was able to match the location where it was filmed to a military base northwest of Ouahigouya, near where Adama was reported abducted.
Analysis of the soldiers’ uniforms and their vehicles were consistent with those used by Burkina Faso’s ground forces.
To aid the fight against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, the U.S. and EU provided Burkina Faso with tens of millions of dollars in military training and equipment.
Two camouflaged pickup trucks shown in the video were Toyota Land Cruiser Series 70s – the same model provided to Burkina Faso by the U.S. and EU.
A large troop carrier was a Mercedes-Benz Atego, the kind the U.S. Defense Department delivered to Burkina Faso in 2014.
Four security force members wore shirts with the Burkina Faso flag on the left arm.
In a statement, a U.S. State Department spokesperson strongly condemned the “horrific violence as portrayed in the video”, adding that allegations of human rights violations must be investigated and “those determined to be responsible held accountable.”
An EU spokesperson said that the bloc’s support for Burkina Faso’s security and defense sector had focused on human rights and international humanitarian law and no lethal weapons had been delivered or financed.
While the AP cannot verify the exact date the video was recorded, a former Burkinabe government official and a soldier said the boys were killed after an attack by militants on a volunteer fighter outpost on 13 February, the day before the video appeared on social media.
A spokesperson for Burkina Faso’s government told AP that militants often disguise themselves as security forces and film their actions in order to blame the military.
But conflict experts say militants don’t typically commit atrocities and blame state security forces.
Nor do they kill children, for fear of alienating local populations.
The procedures to reinforce the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso, as well as to repair the pillars that make up the boundary to their prior condition, have begun.
This is being led by the Ghana Boundary Commission and its counterparts in Burkina Faso.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, there are concerns that activities of gold miners, as well as other human activities, have affected the 30-year-old boundary pillars.
As part of the processes, the two parties held a first meeting at Paga, in July 2021.
The report indicated that the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Emmanuel Kotia, speaking at the opening ceremony of the second meeting of the Boundary Commissions of Ghana and Burkina Faso at Ouagadougou, stated that works will get off the grounds soon.
“We will jointly seek funding for the construction of new boundary pillars including intermediary boundary pillars and border post pillars and a monument at a location that we will agree on around the border crossing.
“We will use this opportunity to urge GIZ to seek funding for us to start this project this year. It’s important for us to begin work as soon as possible so our land boundary will not become areas of dispute between border communities,” he said.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary for the Boundary Commission for Burkina Faso, Salimata Dabal, expressed great hopes about the meeting.
Adagbila Boniface Gambila, the Ambassador of Ghana to Burkina Faso, explained that he hopes the longstanding relationship between the two West African countries will help the process.
The Ghana Boundary Commission and its colleagues in Burkina Faso have begun the process of reaffirming the border between the two nations, among other steps restoring the condition of eroding boundary pillars.
There are worries the boundary pillars, which were fixed more than 30 years ago, have been harmed by artisanal gold mining operations and other human activity. In July 2021, the two nations met for the first time at Paga.
Major General Emmanuel Kotia, the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, stated the two nations will start working as soon as possible during the opening ceremony of the second meeting of the Boundary Commissions of Ghana and Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou.
“We will jointly seek funding for the construction of new boundary pillars including intermediary boundary pillars and border post pillars and a monument at a location that we will agree on around the border crossing,” he explained.
Major General Emmanuel Kotia
He said “We will use this opportunity to urge GIZ to seek for funding for us to start this project this year. It’s important for us to begin work as soon as possible so our land boundary will not become areas of dispute between border communities.”
Permanent Secretary for the Boundary Commission for Burkina Faso said she was excited about the second meeting of the two countries. Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Adagbila Boniface Gambila said Ghana has a longstanding relationship with Burkina Faso and he is happy to see the second meeting of the two boundary commissions in Ouagadougou.
GIZ provided funding for the programme. ECOWAS component Manager, GIZ / African Union Border Programme Dr. Sanou Bakary says reaffirmation of boundaries of countries is a good way to prevent conflicts between countries.
“GIZ is supporting this programme by bringing in technical and financial support for the reaffirmation process. This programme was established in 2007 as a structural means to prevent conflicts across the African continent”.
The military administration of Burkina Faso has declared a recruitment drive to add 5,000 new soldiers to the war against Islamists.
The recruits must be between the ages of 20 and 35 and willing to commit to at least five years of military service, according to Defense Minister Colonel Kassoum Coulibaly.
Almost 50 soldiers were murdered a week ago in the nation’s north.
At least 15 more people are said to have perished on Monday in an ambush carried out by terrorists connected to both the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
Over two million people have been displaced since the Islamic conflict started in 2015.
Even though Thomas Sankara’s family declared they wouldn’t be present, the military administration in Burkina Faso is getting ready to rebury the former president’s remains on Thursday.
The secret ceremony will take place where Sankara and 12 other people were shot dead in an attempted military coup in October 1987.
His family indicated they wouldn’t go because they didn’t like the location, but the government claimed that “socio-cultural and security imperatives of national interest” dictated the choice of location.
The government says his reburial will be done according to customary and religious funeral rites.
Sankara rose to power 1983 and was killed four years later at the age of 37 in a coup led by by his close friend Blaise Compaoré.
Mr Compaoré proceeded to rule the country for 27 years before being deposed in 2014 after a popular uprising. He was handed a life sentence in absentia in 2022 for the death of Mr Sankara.
The foreign ministers of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso are in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, ahead of an African Union summit to lobby to be let back into the organisation.
All three countries were suspended from the African Union and the regional grouping Ecowas following military coups.
Mali’s foreign ministry said the suspensions were hindering the desire of all three Sahel countries to make the transition back to civilian rule.
The ministers will not be able to participate in the summit but say they have met foreign ministers from the hosts Ethiopia and the Comoros Islands who currently hold the presidency of the AU.
Interacting with the visiting Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, President Akufo-Addo described the situation as worrying.
“One of the biggest problems we have in Ghana today will be of course the issue of refugees as a result of the dislocations that have taken place within the Sahel.
“We have until recently with quite evident people coming from Chad, littering our streets. Young people, children and women are in very disastrous circumstances.
“We now have an influx number of people from Burkina Faso as a result of the turbulence and insurgency going on there so we are very familiar with the issue of refugees,” he said.
More than 4,000 Burkinabes this month alone, have fled to seek refuge in Ghana following attacks by suspected terrorists and militants in the Sub-region.
The refugees, mostly women and children, have fled from trouble spots in Burkina Faso.
President Akufo-Addo called for an immediate solution to the crisis.
But the Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Professor Kwesi Aning says the country borders are porous.
This, according to him allows the free movement of people and goods.
He added apart from Pusiga and Kulungugu with borders, they do not have the technical equipment to scan items coming through.
“There are no borders apart from Pusiga and Kulungugu, where you can see thousands of people coming in every day, if you take Kulungugu with borders, they do not have the technical equipment to scan any of these containers through,” he stated.
According to accounts, an incident in northern Burkina Faso has claimed the lives of at least 12 civilians.
The French news agency was informed by locals in the Kossi region, which is near to the Mali border, that armed men on motorcycles assaulted the village of Sanakadougou early on Friday. Both items and animals were stolen.
It is believed that the perpetrators were members of the Islamist insurgency that has driven hundreds of thousands of residents out of their homes in Burkina Faso and its neighboring countries of Mali and Niger.
The military regimes in Burkina Faso and Mali have expelled the French troops who had been unsuccessfully fighting the Islamists and have invited Russian mercenaries in their stead.
According to President Akufo-Addo, government is dedicated to ensuring that the insurgency in Burkina Faso is brought to a close.
Nana Akufo-Addo says the Burkinabees who are fleeing their country have identified Ghana as a safe haven.
Speaking at a meeting with the German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner at the Jubilee House in Accra.,
Nana Akufo-Addo says the government of Ghana is committed to ensuring the insurgency in Burkina Faso is brought to an end.
“We are talking about a substantial number of people who are already coming southwards as a result of the difficulties in Burkina Faso. We have a direct, important and strategic interest in doing whatever we can to bring this insurgency to an end and help stabilise the issues in Burkina Faso.”
Ghana and Burkina Faso have reaffirmed their commitment to work together in fighting terrorism in the sub-region.
Ghana’s National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah disclosed this to journalists in Ouagadougou on Wednesday 21st December 2022 after conveying a message from President Akufo-Addo to the Burkinabe leader, President Ibrahim Traore.
Mr Kan-Dapaah led a high-level delegation from Ghana which also included Security chiefs and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Flanked by the Burkinabe Foreign Minister Madame Olivia Rouamba, Mr Kan-Dapaah said “the two countries reviewed the strong cooperation between them and clarified to their mutual satisfaction recent reported discussions between Ghana and the United States with regard to the needed partnerships for sustainable peace in the region”.
The Minister indicated that both countries have reaffirmed their support for a common fight against terrorism, welcoming early operationalization of the Accra Initiative to enable Burkina Faso to defeat the terrorists who have brought untold hardship and pain to the Burkinabe people.
“In that respect, we discussed concrete support that Ghana has advocated for Burkina Faso in the Accra Initiative and ECOWAS and called on the West African States to act expeditiously on the matter,” he said.
The two countries also highlighted the importance of building resilience in vulnerable communities and support for those that have been displaced or lost livelihoods and called for genuine partnership with the international community in this regard.
Ghana and Burkina Faso committed to holding more regular consultations.
Earlier Mr Kan-Dapaah and his delegation were welcomed by a retinue of religious and traditional leaders.
Together, they reaffirmed the common histories and traditions of Ghana and Burkina Faso and agreed to explore the possibility of periodic visitor exchange with their counterparts in Ghana.
It comes after he asked the former coloniser to withdraw its forces. He also denied Russian Wagner mercenaries, a private army of Russian President Vladimir Putin, were active in the country.
He said: “We’ve heard everywhere in the press that Wagner is in Ouagadougou. That’s also how we heard about it. I’ve asked some people who say, ‘Oh really? Where are they?’
“We’ve since heard that they’re even in a hotel somewhere, we’re surprised to hear about that.”
“There’s a general state of mind whereby if you deal with Wagner, everyone runs away from you, so it’s something which has been created in order that everyone shuns us – well congratulations, good job.”
Former colonial power France had special forces based in Ouagadougou, but its presence had come under intense scrutiny as anti-French sentiment in the region grows, with Paris withdrawing its ambassador to Burkina Faso over the junta’s demands.
Last month Paris confirmed the special forces troops, deployed to help fight a years-long jihadist insurgency, would leave within a month.
However, Ibrahim Traoré insisted diplomatic relations were unharmed.
“The French embassy is here,” He said. “French nationals are here, just as ours is there, so diplomatically nothing has changed.
“This is about an agreement over military presence, and as they have said, our sovereignty is up to us, so that’s what we are expressing through our denunciation of this agreement. So there is no breaking off of diplomatic relations, or hatred of any particular country.”
Protests demanding the departure of French troops have continued in the country despite assurances they would leave anyway.
Thousands of civilians, troops and police have been killed in Burkina Faso, more than two million people have fled their homes and around 40 percent of the country lies outside the government’s control.
Anger within the military at the mounting toll sparked two coups in 2022, the most recent of which was on September 30, when 34-year-old Traoré, seized power.
A human rights NGO in Burkina Faso has leveled charges against the army over the killing of at least 25 civilians, including a woman and a baby, in the east of the country this week, according to a statement carried by AFP on Friday.
Neither the army nor the Burkinabe government reacted initially to these accusations. The east of Burkina Faso is one of the regions most affected by the violence of jihadist groups, fought by the army and its auxiliaries.
On Wednesday evening (1 February), “the Collective against Impunity and Stigmatisation of Communities (CISC) was seized by several relatives of victims” reporting “allegations of summary executions of civilians attributed to the Burkinabe Defence and Security Forces (FDS) in the localities of Piega, Sakoani and Kankangou”, said a CISC statement received by AFP on Friday.
The executions took place as a convoy of “more than a hundred vehicles” left Wednesday for the Boungou gold mine, “escorted by dozens of 4×4 pick-up vehicles carrying several FDS in military uniforms”, in these three localities along the National Road 4 (RN4), according to the CISC.
Twelve deaths (including three women and a baby) were reported in the village of Sakoani, about 125 km from Fada N’Gourma, the capital of the eastern region, seven (including four women) in the village of Piega, 60 km from Fada N’Gourma, and six in the hamlet of Kankangou in the territory of the village of Sampiéri, according to CISC.
Inhabitants of Sakoani contacted by AFP testified to the discovery of “eleven bodies” without life after the passage of the convoy.
“The death toll continues to rise as the information reaches us from the field,” the ICSC said.
According to the NGO, the victims are described by witnesses as “unarmed civilians”.
Demanding an end to these “crimes against humanity”, the CISC says it is continuing to “collect information in order to bring all those responsible and their sponsors to justice” and has called for “an independent and impartial judicial enquiry into these crimes”.
Other cases of extrajudicial executions are regularly reported by the population in several regions of Burkina, the CISC said.
On New Year’s Eve, civilian army auxiliaries were accused of killing 28 people in northwestern Burkina.
Burkina Faso has faced increasing attacks by jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State since 2015.
Over 4000 residents of Burkina Faso, as well as some Ghanaians who residing in the area have escaped to Ghana’s borders in search of safety.
According to a graphic.com.gh report, this has come about following attacks on Burkinabes by some suspected terrorists and militants.
Among those seeking refuge are women and children, with a number of them coming from such places in Burkina Faso as Bugri, Zouga, and Asongo.
So far, the majority of the refugees have landed in the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region, hopeful that they can find asylum there.
The report also said that some of the communities in the Bawku West District housing these Burkinabes are Adasiga, Soogo, Agoogo, Kperigu, and Kperigzousi in the Soogo Electoral Area.
Others are also residing in places like Natinga, Googo, Weari, Kanlesi, and Fulbes in the Widnaba Electoral Area.
“More than 1,000 of the refugees are living in the Soogo Electoral Area, 1,773 are currently living in the Widnaba area, while 1,325 are staying in the Akasooga Electoral Area.
“The large number of refugees has put undue pressure on food and social amenities in the areas, a development which continues to be a source of worry for the local people and needs urgent attention from duty bearers,” the report stated.
Speaking on the development, the Assembly Member for the Soogo Electoral Area, Atampuri Osben Asaki, said that the situation in the area is serious and needs urgent attention.
He also complained about accommodation challenges, seeing that most of the refugees have been forced to live with local community members.
The report added that the situation is such that those who have could not be accommodated with the locals have resorted to the only available options in uncompleted buildings, while others too use makeshift structures.
“Sadly, some children, including newborn babies and their nursing mothers, sleep in the open, especially during the day, due to the unavailability of homes to accommodate them,” the report added.
In the meantime, it is reported that the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), through its grant support to the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocesan Development Office (NABOCADO), of the Catholic Church, has presented food and non-food items to the refugees, summing up to GH¢1.3 million.
The Bawku Naba, Zugraan Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, has also made a donation of food items and clothing to the Burkinabe asylum seekers in the area.
The Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) is also reported to have held a number of meetings to assess the security situation in border communities, and also strategise on measures to prevent the terrorists from crossing over into Ghana.
It will be recalled that in June 2022, more than 1,872 refugees, including Ghanaians, fled a troubled spot in Burkina Faso to seek refuge in Ghana due to terrorist attacks by militants against local militia.
France is recalling its ambassador to Burkina Faso, a day after it announced that its military mission there was to end.
The French foreign ministry said Luc Hallade was returning for consultations on the state of relations between Paris and its former West African colony.
There have been weeks of demonstrations against the French presence in Burkina Faso, whose military rulers have been seeking military assistance from Russia to help defeat an Islamist insurgency.
France has granted a request from the military authorities of Burkina Faso to remove all of its personnel from the nation.
Burkina Faso claims it wants to defend itself as it fights an Islamist insurgency at the moment.
Currently stationed in Burkina Faso are 400 French special forces, who have one month to leave.
France announced on Thursday that it would also summon its ambassador to the nation for consultations.
Burkina Faso’s junta had demanded the ambassador’s replacement over his comments about the country’s deteriorating security situation.
Last year French troops also left neighbouring Mali, where they had spent eight years fighting jihadists.
France has kept close military links with many of its former colonies in West Africa and has been helping several of them fight jihadists who are active across the region under the now terminated Operation Barkhane.
Some 3,000 French soldiers are still deployed in West Africa, mostly in Niger and Chad.
Its continued ties, especially economic, have led to some resentment of its influence, which Russia has tapped into.
Both Mali and the Central African Republic are now working with the Russian mercenary group, Wagner.
Burkina Faso has denied reports it will also engage the Wagner Group against the jihadists but a liaison team from the mercenaries has already visited, according to the AFP news agency.
A French foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed that the Burkinabè government had sent a written request for its troops to leave.
“We will respect the terms of the agreement by honouring this request,” the spokesperson said.
Burkina Faso has been hit by a decade-long insurgency that has forced nearly two million people from their homes.
Most recently, suspected jihadists kidnapped around 60 women who were foraging for food in the north of the country, and at the start of the month bodies of 28 people who had been shot dead were found in the north-western town of Nouna. The women have since been released.
The military government in Burkina Faso has confirmed that a military agreement with France has been terminated.
The government was reported over the weekend to have asked French troops to leave the country wracked by terrorist violence.
Paris subsequently asked for clarity on the issue.
In a January 23 interview with the state-run boardcaster, Ouagadougou confirmed the new arrangement with government spokesperson Jean-Emmanuel Ouedrago stating:
“We are terminating the agreement which allows French forces to be in Burkina Faso. This is not the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France,” the said.
Relations between French and neighbouring Mali has gone south with Bamako also ordering troops of the Operation Berkhane (anti-terrorism force) to leave.
Burkina Faso is dealing with rebel fighters associated with al-Qaeda and ISIL.
Two suspected attacks in Burkina Faso have killed at least 18 people, including 16 army supporters, according to security sources on Friday.
The attacks on Thursday in the country’s north and northwest were the latest to target a civilian auxiliary force that aids the military in its seven-year fight against rebels.
Burkina Faso, located in West Africa, is one of the world’s poorest and most volatile countries.
It has been grappling with violence spearheaded by rebel fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) groups since 2015, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly two million people.
The country is now the epicentre of a conflict that spilled over from Mali.
Thursday’s “first attack targeted an advance party of Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland [VDP] in Rakoegtenga”, a town in the northern province of Bam, a VDP official said.
Six auxiliaries and a woman died in the attack, the official said.
About 10 people were wounded, including some seriously, who were “evacuated to Ouagadougou for appropriate care”, he said.
The VDP official said the second attack killed about 10 vigilantes and a person in Nayala province in the northwest in the afternoon when a convoy they and soldiers were escorting was ambushed on the Siena-Saran road.
Security sources confirmed two “jihadist attacks” but gave no precise death toll, referring only to “a number of losses”.
The VDP, set up in December 2019, comprises civilian volunteers who are given two weeks of military training and then deployed alongside the army, typically carrying out surveillance, information-gathering or escort duties.
A surge in violence
Commentators worry that the poorly trained volunteers are easy targets for rebel fighters – and may dangerously inflame ethnic friction without proper controls.
Last week, about 60 women, girls and babies were abducted in the northern Djibo region while gathering wild fruit and other food, investigators said.
Violence targeting security forces and civilians has increased in recent months, especially in northern and eastern regions bordering Mali and Niger.
The escalating toll unleashed two military coups last year, launched by officers angered at failures to stem the bloodshed.
The latest strongman is Captain Ibrahim Traore, who on September 30 overthrew Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
In the northern province of Soum in Burkina Faso, gunmen reportedly kidnapped 50 women on January 12 and 13.
The women were abducted by armed men while collecting wild fruit west of the town of Aribinda, about 15 kilometres (9.32 miles) from the village of Liki.
“Searching has started with the aim of finding all these innocent victims safe and sound,” the government statement on Monday said.
According to local officials, the army and its civilian auxiliaries have carried out unsuccessful sweeps of the area.
One of the world’s poorest countries, Burkina Faso has been struggling to contain violent activity by armed groups with links to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) that spread from neighbouring Mali in 2015 despite costly international military efforts to contain it.
Thousands of civilians and members of the security forces have died and some two million people have been displaced, and forced to live in makeshift camps.
Last June, Mahamadou Issoufou – former president of Niger and a representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – said authorities in the capital Ouagadougou control just 60 percent of the country.
Disgruntled army officers carried out two coups in 2022 in a show of anger at failures to roll back the conflict, with each military leader promising to prioritise security.
French diplomats have saidBurkina Faso has engaged the services of private Russian mercenary group, the Wagner Group, as part of efforts to tackle the conflict. Nana Akufo-Addo, president of neighbouring Ghana also alleged the same thing in December.
In our series of letters from African journalists, Sierra Leonean-Gambian writer Ade Daramy pays tribute to a man whose death nearly seven years ago arguably changed history in The Gambia.
Ebrima Solo Sandeng was not in the traditional mould of an African freedom fighter. He was not an Amílcar Cabral, liberator of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, or a Thomas Sankara, the anti-imperialist revolutionary who led Burkina Faso – two men slain before their life’s work was done.
But as an opposition politician in The Gambia he stood up against tyranny when very few dared to do so. This week – nearly seven years after his murder – he was honoured at a state funeral.
Image caption,A state funeral was held for Ebrima Solo Sandeng last Tuesday in the capital, Banjul
Sandeng’s fight was against the small West African nation’s electoral laws – legislation designed to perpetuate oppression and unfairness, allowing then-President Yahya Jammeh to remain in office indefinitely, having initially come to power following a coup in 1994.
He was angered that the fee to contest as a presidential candidate had risen from 10,000 Gambian dalasi ($161; £132) to 500,000 dalasi ($8,050).
In addition, opposition candidates were only given two weeks to campaign and feature on the national broadcaster, while the president’s nationwide meet-the-people tours were given blanket coverage.
In April 2016, armed with nothing more sinister than a megaphone, the 57-year-old led a march demanding change
.
But in full view of the public, and caught by mobile phone cameras, he and some other marchers were manhandled, arrested and bundled into a vehicle.
News soon emerged that they had been beaten, tortured and, in Sandeng’s case, it was feared he had been killed by members of the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Two days after his arrest, when he had not been produced in court and with the rumours gathering pace, his family and members of his United Democratic Party took to the streets, demanding that they wanted him back “dead or alive”.
Disappearances and killings were not uncommon for those considered a thorn in the side of Mr Jammeh’s regime.
Image caption,President Jammeh (R) enjoyed blanket coverage on the national broadcaster and opposition politicians barely featured
It could be argued that his death and the march that took place two days later were the pivotal events – they lit the spark that eventually led to Mr Jammeh losing the presidential election eight months later.
People had simply had enough.
After initially refusing to budge, Mr Jammeh finally went into exile after his defeat and the repressive measures used during his 22 years in power were exposed by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) set up by the new government.
Forensic evidence gathered
Evidence given at the TRRC led to the discovery of Sandeng’s body in Tanji, a small fishing village.
The corpse was exhumed in 2017 and, at the request of the attorney general, forensic experts were employed to analyse the remains.
Image caption,Ebrima Solo Sandeng’s widow, seen here in white, and his family have tirelessly fought to bring his killers to justice
They built a case against his killers, with evidence that the abrasions and traumas on the remains proved he had been tortured to death and had not died of “shock and respiratory failure”, as a fake death certificate that later emerged stated.
In July last year, the High Court convicted five members of the former NIA – and the doctor who provided the death certificate – for their role in his killing.
Sandeng’s widow and his six children never let his memory fade and were in court when they were convicted.
NIA chief Yankuba Badjie and four of his operatives were sentenced to between five and 10 years for various offences. The doctor was sentenced to 10 years for forgery.
For those wanting to bring international attention to Sandeng’s case, he was hailed as The Gambia’s Steve Biko, a reference to South Africa’s renowned anti-apartheid activist who died in detention in 1977.
But for most Gambians he is remembered as an ordinary man who showed extraordinary bravery.
His cousin said he had been warned that his march could be dangerous, but Sandeng had replied: “Please don’t advise me; I will fight to the end. This is a point of no return.”
Thousands of mourners
The turnout at his funeral this week attests to this courage. It was attended by his family and many other dignitaries, including senior cabinet ministers.
Though a couple of ironies were noted on the day he was laid to rest.
Image caption,Thousands of people lined the streets of Banjul to pay their respects to Sandeng at his funeral
The funeral rites in the capital, Banjul, were conducted at a monument originally built to commemorate Mr Jammeh’s coup. Known as Arch 22 (the number being a reference to the date of the coup, 22 July 1994), it has since been renamed Never Again Arch.
And for all the fine words and the eulogies, the electoral laws Sandeng fought to change and died for are still on the statute books.
The most fitting memorial to the man considered a hero in The Gambia would be to repeal them.
Ebrima Solo Sandeng was not in the traditional mould of an African freedom fighter. He was not an Amílcar Cabral, liberator of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, or a Thomas Sankara, the anti-imperialist revolutionary who led Burkina Faso – two men slain before their life’s work was done.
But as an opposition politician in The Gambia he stood up against tyranny when very few dared to do so. This week – nearly seven years after his murder – he was honoured at a state funeral.
A state funeral was held for Ebrima Solo Sandeng last Tuesday in the capital, Banjul
Sandeng’s fight was against the small West African nation’s electoral laws – legislation designed to perpetuate oppression and unfairness, allowing then-President Yahya Jammeh to remain in office indefinitely, having initially come to power following a coup in 1994.
He was angered that the fee to contest as a presidential candidate had risen from 10,000 Gambian dalasi ($161; £132) to 500,000 dalasi ($8,050).
In addition, opposition candidates were only given two weeks to campaign and feature on the national broadcaster, while the president’s nationwide meet-the-people tours were given blanket coverage.
In April 2016, armed with nothing more sinister than a megaphone, the 57-year-old led a march demanding change.
But in full view of the public, and caught by mobile phone cameras, he and some other marchers were manhandled, arrested and bundled into a vehicle.
News soon emerged that they had been beaten, tortured and, in Sandeng’s case, it was feared he had been killed by members of the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Two days after his arrest, when he had not been produced in court and with the rumours gathering pace, his family and members of his United Democratic Party took to the streets, demanding that they wanted him back “dead or alive”.
Disappearances and killings were not uncommon for those considered a thorn in the side of Mr Jammeh’s regime.
President Jammeh (R) enjoyed blanket coverage on the national broadcaster and opposition politicians barely featured
It could be argued that his death and the march that took place two days later were the pivotal events – they lit the spark that eventually led to Mr Jammeh losing the presidential election eight months later.
People had simply had enough.
After initially refusing to budge, Mr Jammeh finally went into exile after his defeat and the repressive measures used during his 22 years in power were exposed by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) set up by the new government.
Forensic evidence gathered
Evidence given at the TRRC led to the discovery of Sandeng’s body in Tanji, a small fishing village.
The corpse was exhumed in 2017 and, at the request of the attorney general, forensic experts were employed to analyse the remains.
Ebrima Solo Sandeng’s widow, seen here in white, and his family have tirelessly fought to bring his killers to justice
They built a case against his killers, with evidence that the abrasions and traumas on the remains proved he had been tortured to death and had not died of “shock and respiratory failure”, as a fake death certificate that later emerged stated.
In July last year, the High Court convicted five members of the former NIA – and the doctor who provided the death certificate – for their role in his killing.
Sandeng’s widow and his nine children never let his memory fade and were in court when they were convicted.
NIA chief Yankuba Badjie and four of his operatives were sentenced to between five and 10 years for various offences. The doctor was sentenced to 10 years for forgery.
For those wanting to bring international attention to Sandeng’s case, he was hailed as The Gambia’s Steve Biko, a reference to South Africa’s renowned anti-apartheid activist who died in detention in 1977.
But for most Gambians he is remembered as an ordinary man who showed extraordinary bravery.
His cousin said he had been warned that his march could be dangerous, but Sandeng had replied: “Please don’t advise me; I will fight to the end. This is a point of no return.”
Thousands of mourners
The turnout at his funeral this week attests to this courage. It was attended by his family and many other dignitaries, including senior cabinet ministers.
Though a couple of ironies were noted on the day he was laid to rest.
Thousands of people lined the streets of Banjul to pay their respects to Sandeng at his funeral
The funeral rites in the capital, Banjul, were conducted at a monument originally built to commemorate Mr Jammeh’s coup. Known as Arch 22 (the number being a reference to the date of the coup, 22 July 1994), it has since been renamed Never Again Arch.
And for all the fine words and the eulogies, the electoral laws Sandeng fought to change and died for are still on the statute books.
The most fitting memorial to the man considered a hero in The Gambia would be to repeal them.
After several tense exchanges with the military junta that have strained relations between the two nations, Burkina Faso has requested that France recall its ambassador, Luc Hallade, according to the Paris-based pan-African publication Jeune Afrique, which cited unnamed sources in Paris.
Olivia Rouamba, the foreign minister of Burkina Faso, is said to have written to theFrench presidency “at the end of December” requesting a change of representative.
The change occurs less than two weeks after Barbara Manzi, the UN resident coordinator, was expelled by Burkina Faso.
In November, the French embassy in Ouagadougou accused Burkina Faso of failing to provide adequate protection to its premises, which were attacked during anti-French protests last year.
In July, Ambassador Hallade was forced to apologise for comparing militant violence in Burkina Faso to a civil war.
Burkina Faso is increasingly embracing Russia, seemingly under the influence of Mali which cut diplomatic ties with France last year after Paris condemned Bamako’s use of Russian mercenaries.
The deaths of 28 people, whose bodies were discovered in the town of Nouna in the country’s northwest, are being investigated by the Burkinabe authorities.
The killings were discovered the night of December 30, according to a statement from the government, which also denounced the “unacceptable violence.”
According to prosecutors, the victims were shot to death, but neither the identity of the perpetrators nor the nature of the attacks were revealed, according to the Reuters news agency.
The authorities have called for calm pending the outcome of the investigation.
“This drama occurs at a time when Burkina Fasohas initiated an operation of mobilisation of the whole people for unity of action in the fight against terrorism,” the government statement said.
The West African country is battling an Islamist insurgency has already displaced nearly two million people, and prompted two military coups within a year.
The office of the US Trade Representative stated that the decision was taken because of worries about “unconstitutional change” in the political system.
According to the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) office, Burkina Fasohas been removed from the US’s trade preference programme due to serious concerns over an “unconstitutional change” in the country’s government.
Two military coups in Burkina Faso occurred in 2022 as a result of frustration with the government’s inability to stop armed group activity. Although efforts to increase security have been made by both the previous and current military governments, the attacks have persisted.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) provides sub-Saharan African nations with duty-free access to the US if they meet specific eligibility requirements, including making progress towards political pluralism.
The USTR’s office said Burkina Faso had failed to meet the requirements of the AGOA statute and would be given “clear benchmarks” for a pathway towards reinstatement to the trade programme, adding that Washington would work with Ouagadougou.
On Monday, the Burkinabe Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to the decision by repeating a November statement saying the timetable for a return to democracy had not changed.
Burkina Faso had committed to returning to constitutional rule in 24 months in a July agreement with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS.
Burkina Faso, one of the world’s poorest countries, has been in the grip of a conflict in which armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) have killed thousands of civilians and created one of the continent’s fastest-growing humanitarian crises.
Nearly two million people have been displaced who reside in makeshift camps, many run by the United Nations, that dot the arid countryside.
The violence, which has rumbled on for about seven years, has been focused in the north and east, crippling local economies, causing mass hunger, and restricting access to aid organisations.
Just before Christmas, Burkina Faso’s military government asked a seniorUN official to exit the country. The UN contested the decision saying “the doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to United Nations officials”.
