Tag: Burkina Faso

Military Intervention in Niger, Declaration of War Against Us – Burkina Faso and Mali

1Aug

By adminNo Comments

Africa, Armed Forces, Burkina Faso, Mali, News, Niger, Nigeria, Security, Violence

Military Intervention in Niger, Declaration of War Against Us – Burkina Faso and Mali

The junta-led governments of Burkina Faso and Mali issued a joint warning on Monday, stating that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum would be regarded as a "declaration of war" against their two countries. This came in response to threats made by West African leaders, backed by Western partners, to use "force" to reinstate the democratically elected Bazoum and impose financial sanctions on the putschists. The governments of Burkina Faso and Mali emphasized the potential disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger, warning that such action could destabilize the entire region. They also rejected the application of "illegal, illegitimate, and inhumane sanctions" against the people and authorities of Niger. At an emergency summ...

Two More Miners Found Dead In Flooded Burkina Faso Mine

29May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Burkina Faso, News, Safety

Two More Miners Found Dead In Flooded Burkina Faso Mine

Two more dead bodies have been recovered from a flooded zinc mine in Burkina Faso, the government said on Saturday. Millions of litres of water have been pumped out of the site owned by Canadian firm Trevali as rescue efforts continue. The case has caused outrage in the country. A total of eight miners had become trapped there by unexpected torrential rain six weeks ago. At this stage two of the group still remain missing. Trevali and the Burkinabè government have launched investigations into the causes of the incident at the Perkoa zinc mine, which is about 100km (60 miles) west of the capital, Ouagadougou. Read Also: Four Bodies Recovered In Burkina Faso Mine "We've brought in experts from all over the world. We've got people from Australia, from South Africa, f...

Four Bodies Recovered In Burkina Faso Mine

25May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Burkina Faso, News

Four Bodies Recovered In Burkina Faso Mine

The bodies of four miners have been found in a zinc mine in Burkina Faso after a 39-day search, a government spokesman has said. Eight miners were trapped by floodwaters last month in the Canadian-owned mine in Perkoa, located about 120km west of the country's capital, Ouagadougou. The floods followed unexpected torrential rains on 16 April. Since then rescuers have worked tirelessly to pump some 165 million litres of water from the flooded chambers. Read Also: Eight Miners Trapped For Two Weeks In Burkina Faso Await Rescue It took the rescue team 31 days to reach the first rescue chamber, located at about 560m- in which the missing miners might have sought refuge from the floodwaters. But when the chamber was opened last week, none of the men - six Burkinabès, a Zambia...

Three Italians Kidnapped In Southern Mali

21May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Crime, Mali, News, Security, Terrorism

Three Italians Kidnapped In Southern Mali

Armed men kidnapped an Italian couple and their son in southern Mali overnight, their church said on Friday, as violence spreads in a country ravaged by an Islamist insurgency. A spokesman for the Jehovah's Witnesses church in neighboring Senegal said the couple is in their 70s and their son is about 50. They were living in Mali for personal reasons and are not missionaries, he said. It was not immediately clear who took them, he said. Media outlets reported that a Togolese national was kidnapped along with the Italians, but the spokesman said he could not confirm that. Italy's foreign affairs ministry confirmed the kidnapping in a statement. “The Crisis Unit is making every effort - in coordination with the competent State bodies - to find a positive solution to the case,...

Niger President Says Mali’s Withdrawal Marks ‘Death’ Of G5 Sahel Alliance

19May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Mali, News, Niger, Security, Terrorism

Niger President Says Mali’s Withdrawal Marks ‘Death’ Of G5 Sahel Alliance

Niger's President has said Mali's withdrawal from the G5 Sahel, a multinational force created to fight Islamist militants, will mark the end of the alliance. President Mohamed Bayoum made the remarks in an interview with French daily La Croix. Bazoum said Mali's isolation was undermining the fight against insurgents. Bamako this week announced that it was quitting the G5 Sahel, after being blocked from assuming the group's rotating presidency. It blamed 'a state outside the region' for trying to foment divisions among the member states. Created in 2014, the alliance which also includes Mauritania, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Niger was to help the countries jointly tackle Islamist militants. Read Also: Mali Withdraws From Regional Anti-jihadist Force Since 2020, Mal...

Burkina Orders Compaore To Pay Damages Over Sankara Killings

11May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Burkina Faso, Judiciary, Justice, News

Burkina Orders Compaore To Pay Damages Over Sankara Killings

Former President Blaise Compaore A court in Burkina Faso on Tuesday ordered ex-president Blaise Compaore and nine others to pay more than a million dollars in damages to relatives of revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara and aides who were assassinated in 1987. The order comes after a trial last month that sentenced the group to long jail terms, ending a case that afflicted the Sahel state for 34 years. A former comrade-in-arms of Sankara, Compaore took power during a putsch on the day of the assassination, ruling until 2014, when he was toppled by mass protests and fled abroad. Judge Urbain Meda, presiding over a military court in the capital Ouagadougou, ordered payment of 807.5 million CFA francs $1.3 million to relatives of the 12 people who were gunned down alongside ...

Eight Miners Trapped For Two Weeks In Burkina Faso Await Rescue

3May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Burkina Faso, News, Safety

Eight Miners Trapped For Two Weeks In Burkina Faso Await Rescue

Rescue efforts has continued in Burkina Faso as workers try to reach eight miners who have been trapped underground for more than two weeks. The zinc mine at Perkoa flooded following heavy rain last month. Six of the miners are from Burkina Faso and the other two are from Zambia and Tanzania. Burkina Faso Prime Minister Albert Ouedraogo said that managers of the mine have been banned from leaving the country while investigations are under way into the cause of the accident. “Precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the persons in charge of the mine from leaving the country and instructions have been given firmly to the Minister of Security for this,” a statement from the PM’s office said on Monday. Read Also: Chinese Businessman Jailed 20 years in Rwa...

12 Soldiers Killed as Jihadists Attack a Military Base in Burkina Faso

11Apr

By Guest ContributorNo Comments

Armed Forces, Burkina Faso, News, Religion, Security, Terrorism, Violence

12 Soldiers Killed as Jihadists Attack a Military Base in Burkina Faso

Suspected jihadists have attacked a military base in Burkina Faso, killing at least 12 soldiers and four volunteers in the process. The military on Friday said 21 troops were also injured in the attack on the Namissiguima military detachment in the north. The assailants are reported to have first attacked the camp with shells. Then shooting followed. The military added that reinforcements have been deployed to secure the area. The attack comes at a time when the armed forces have launched an operation to "de-pollute" localities in the region. Islamist militants started carrying out raids in Burkina Faso from bases in neighbouring Mali in 2015. Since then 1.8 million people have been displaced by the violence. A military government seized power in January and ousted P...

Court Sentences Ex-Burkina Faso President to Life Imprisonment

8Apr

By Guest ContributorNo Comments

Burkina Faso, Judiciary, Justice, News

Court Sentences Ex-Burkina Faso President to Life Imprisonment

A military court in Burkina Faso on Wednesday sentenced former president Blaise Campare to life imprisonment for the murder of his predecessor Thomas Sankara in a coup. The long-awaited verdict brought to close, a six-month trial about the murder of Mr Sankara, who was assassinated during a coup led by his friend and comrade-in-arms, Mr Compaoré, on October 15, 1987. Thomas Sankara Military prosecutors in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, had requested a 30-year sentence for Mr Compaoré, who was being tried alongside 13 others. Two other main suspects were also handed life imprisonment sentences. They are Gilbert Diendéré, one of the leaders of the 1987 putsch and leader of the 2015 coup, as well as Hyacinthe Kafando, leader of Mr Compaoré’s guards at the time. Mr Compao...

Buhari Congratulates Burkina Faso President on Electoral Victory

27Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Burkina Faso, Elections, Nigeria

Buhari Congratulates Burkina Faso President on Electoral Victory

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated President Roch Kabore of Burkina Faso on his re-election for a second term in office. This was disclosed in a statement on Friday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, titled “President Buhari congratulates Roch Marc Kabore of Burkina Faso on his re-election for a second term, sieges him to unite the country.” According to the statement, Buhari said: “I am pleased with the peaceful outcome of the election in which the voters of Burkina Faso renewed your mandate for another five years in office. “Winning a second term is a vote of confidence, but it also brings bigger challenges for leaders to work even harder to make life better for their citizens.” President Buhari also urged Kabore who wa...