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Coalition of Human Rights Organisations Condemn Repression of Media in Burkina Faso
Coalition of Human Rights Organisations Condemn Repression of Media in Burkina Faso
By: Michael Mike
African citizen movements, activists, campaigners, civil society actors strongly condemn the ongoing repression of journalists and media actors, as well as the drastic closing of civic space in Burkina Faso
The day after their arrest, the government decided to dissolve the AJB, justifying the measure on the grounds of alleged non-compliance with a 2015 law governing associations.
‘According to the law. there is no association called the Association of Journalists of Burkina, declared the Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, in a press
release.
On March 30, the Executive Secretary of Balai Citoyen, Ousmane Lankoande, was abducted by the military junta upon his return from an event in Cotonou, Benin. Just days prior, another Balai Citoyen activist,
Amadou Sawadogo, was also kidnapped in Ouagadougou. Both individuals remain missing, and their whereabouts are still unknown.
These incidents reflect the increasingly repressive environment in Burkina Faso, where civil society actors are targeted and silenced under the current regime.
Several journalists and media figures were kidnapped and reported missing in 2024, including Atiana Serges Oulon, Bienvenu Apiou, James Dembélé, Mamadou Ali Compaoré, Kalifara Séré and Adama Bayala.
All were known for their criticism of the ruling junta. Until then, Burkina
Faso enjoyed a dynamic, professional and pluralist media landscape.
The country had more than 80 newspapers (Sidwaya, L’Événement, Le Pays), 185 radio stations (Omega FM), around 30 television channels (Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina, BF1) and more than a hundred
news websites (faso.net, Faso 7, Burkina 24).
Since the junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré came to power on 30 September 2022, censorship has intensified. The authorities began by banning access to several international media such as Deutsche Welle, Le Monde.fr, The Guardian, BBC, Voice of America, RFI, France 24 and
Jeune Afrique, accusing them of ‘harming the national effort against armed jihadist groups’
As a result, Burkina Faso saw its ranking in the World Press Freedom Index drop from 58ᵉ place in 2023 to 86ᵉ in 2024.
Repression is not limited to journalists. Political activists, human rights defenders and artists are either kidnapped or forced into exile. On 18 March, journalist Idrissa Barry, a member of the political movement
Servir et non se servir (Sens), was abducted in broad daylight after his organisation denounced massacres of civilians attributed to the army.
On 22 March, four other members of the movement suffered the same fate. In addition, the movement’s national coordinator, a lawyer and
co-founder of the Balai Citoyen collective, has been imprisoned since July 2024 on trumped-up charges of ‘conspiracy and criminal association’
.
On 25 May 2024, the junta extended the transition by five years at a national conference held behind closed doors. Traditional political parties have been excluded from the decision-making process, and the new charter imposes a criterion of ‘patriotism’ for membership of the transitional government and assembly, making opposition virtually impossible.
In fact, Burkina Faso is no longer in transition, since Captain Ibrahim
Traoré has been appointed President of Burkina Faso, a title conferred
only on an elected president. Furthermore, on 1 April 2025, in a speech broadcast on national television, the leader of the putschists officially decreed the end of democracy in Burkina Faso, proclaiming a
progressive popular revolution.
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Burkina Faso has been ranked as the country most affected by terrorism for the second year running. The central Sahel region, where Burkina Faso is located, has
become the epicentre of terrorism, accounting for more than half of all
terrorism-related deaths worldwide.
A statement by a coalition of human rights organisations at the weekend said: “Burkina Faso is the country most affected by terrorism in the Sahel, according to the Global Terrorism Index. However, this situation must not be used as a pretext for the repression of fundamental freedoms.
We recall that kidnappings, carried out outside any legal judicial framework, violate several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
We, citizens’ movements and civil society organisations committed to the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms, demand : The immediate release of all abducted journalists and pro-democracy activists; An end to the repression of dissent voices and pro-democracy
activists; An end to the restriction of civic space and the opening up of political space for citizens’ organisations, political parties and movements to flourish; Respect for and protection of the fundamental rights of Burkina Faso’s citizens, in accordance with Article 1 of the Transition Charter adopted on 25 March 2024.
“In the face of the systematic repression of dissent voices in Burkina Faso, we urge the ECOWAS/AES mediators, and the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, to intervene and make the release of these
journalists and human rights activists an absolute priority.
“Finally, we reaffirm our unwavering solidarity and support for the pro-democracy activists in Burkina Faso, who are working courageously to defend fundamental rights and civil liberties in the face of the increasing repression.”
Coalition of Human Rights Organisations Condemn Repression of Media in Burkina Faso
News
Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara
Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
A mobile police operative attached to Operation Restore Peace has been killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Adabka village, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 11:44 a.m. when the officer, deployed from Mopol 15, Ilorin, left his duty location in Adabka en route to Tibis village to purchase essential supplies.
Security sources in Bukkuyum told Zagazola that the operative was attacked at the outskirts of Adabka by armed bandits concealed in the surrounding bushes.
The attackers reportedly opened fire on the officer, killing him instantly before carting away his service riot gun.
“Field teams deployed to the scene recovered the body of the fallen operative, which was evacuated to Adabka Primary Health Care Centre for documentation,” the source said.
Sources said that the mode of attack aligns with operational tactics used by bandit factions linked to the Dan-Karama Gwaska and Dansadau networks, known for precision ambushes and rapid withdrawal.
Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara
News
GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference
GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference
Stakeholders comprising academics, policymakers, security experts and public-sector practitioners have deliberated ways of tackling insecurity in the country through a multi-faceted approach that includes economic empowerment, improved governance, and enhanced security cooperation.
They made the submission during the maiden International Conference organised by the Department of Public Administration, Gombe State University (GSU).
The conference was declared open on Tuesday by Prof. Sani Ahmed Yauta, the Vice Chancellor of the institution who stated that any engagement aimed at proffering solutions to the security challenges of the country was an engagement borne out of the need to fast-track national development and stability.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof. Danladi Umar, Yauta urged participants to leverage the conference to contribute to ongoing efforts at addressing security challenges so as to enhance peace and development in the country.
In his keynote address, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Secretary to the Gombe State Government, linked good governance to enhanced security and national development.
Njodi stressed that good governance remained a critical tool to earning citizens’ trust needed to maintain peace and to strengthen development across the country.
He stated that discourse around Nigeria’s governance had become imperative in view of the current security challenges confronting the nation and threatening national development.
He stressed the need for subnational governments to drive national development, adding that they have massive roles to play in determining Nigeria’s progress.
“It is the aggregation of subnational experiences—state successes and failures—that ultimately determines Nigeria’s trajectory.”
Njodi cited the Gombe State governance model and how it had contributed to improvement in human capital development as well as the development of the state and therefore resulting in the peaceful status that the state had enjoyed under Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State’s leadership.
“The state’s development trajectory under Gov. Yahaya offers a practical demonstration of how visionary leadership, institutional innovation and participatory governance can transform a subnational entity within Nigeria’s federal system.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Public Administration Department, Prof. Matthew Funsho Bello, described the event as historic for both the department and the university.
Bello said that the conference’s theme, “Governance, Insecurity and National Development in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges,” was timely given the complexities of the nation’s socio-economic and security challenges.
“This gathering of distinguished scholars, public-sector experts, policymakers and practitioners from across the country marks a major milestone in our collective quest to address the vexing issues affecting our national life,” he said.
According to him, the theme reflects “the urgent need for academia, security agencies and public-sector experts to engage in constructive dialogue on how addressing insecurity and governance can drive sustainable development in Nigeria.
Security experts amongst other professionals made their presentations during the conference which are expected to form part of the recommendations at the end of the two-day event.
Dr Lawal Abdullahi Oladimeji, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Conference, lauded all participants and invited guests for the success of the maiden event.
Oladimeji said that recommendations from the conference would be given to relevant stakeholders towards enhancing national security and development.
GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference
News
21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation
21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Twenty-one persons have been abducted by suspected bandits in three villages of Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the coordinated attacks occurred in Sundu, Biresawa and Masaurari villages.
According to community members, two women were taken from Sundu, while five women and two children were abducted at Biresawa.
In Masaurari, nine men and one woman were reportedly seized, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 21 comprising nine men, eight women and two children.
The Police Command in Kano confirmed the attack noting that efforts had been intensified to rescue all victims unhurt.
The sources added that additional operatives had been deployed to the affected axis, while the area was being combed in collaboration with local vigilance groups and other security agencies.
The command assured residents of its commitment to restoring peace and urged the public to provide credible information that could aid ongoing operations.
21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation
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