7 Ghanaians Taken Hostage In Burkina, Ayariga Petitions MoFA
The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has sought the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Regional Integration over abducted Ghanaian herdsmen in Burkina Faso.
The seven are believed to be in the custody of military men in the military-run country.
They have been identified as Abdufai Bagare, Mumuni Seidu, Issaka Nyikabo, Abdul Kadir Salifu, Jebrilu Braimah, Bande Mamudu and Bande Shaibu.
Journey to Burkina
According to the lawmaker, the cattle of some herdsmen including the seven who reside at Kanyere were ransacked by military men from Burkina Faso. Two residents are reported to have been killed in the process.
Per the petition, the seven men embarked on an adventure to Burkina Faso in the quest to retrieve their seized cattle after a message was conveyed through the Assemblyman for Kanyere, Adamah Bidigah, to the herdsmen for identification and collection.
“Announcements were subsequently made for all cattle owners to come and identify their cattle so they could hand them back to them. The Assembly Man for Kanyere, Adamah Bidigah, conveyed the message of the announcement across to the Ghana side of the border. The missing persons upon hearing the announcement, took a letter of introduction from the Municipal Chief Executive of Bawku Municipality and took it along with them to Bittu to claim their animals. They were then directed by the Assembly Member of Kanyere to the location of the animals. The location was identified as Noaho, a village also in the Bittu District.”
According to Hon Ayariga, the seven were last spotted with Burkina Faso military personnel on the road to Noaho village.
Efforts
The legislator has now resorted to the government for help after attempts to single-handedly get them back proved futile.
“I have asked senior Ghanaian military personnel to look into the matter but all efforts have yielded no results. I have also tried using former Burkina Faso Nlembers of the ECOWAS Parliament but there have not been any positive results.”
“I therefore request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to activate diplomatic channels with the military authorities in Burkina Faso to locate and return the missing persons.”
