We need justice for seven murdered in Burkina Faso – Bissa Development Association tell Govt

The Bissa Development Association (BDA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, non-religious group committed to the development of the Bissa people, are demanding that the Government of Ghana investigate and bring to justice persons or organizations responsible for the alleged gruesome execution of seven Ghanaian Bissa people in Burkina Faso.

The seven were allegedly executed by Burkinabe anti-terrorist security officers in Burkina Faso in October 2023 on suspicion of being terrorists. But the Bissa Development Association have dismissed the claims, demanding full-scale investigations into the issue.

The victims included Lukuman Karim and Bashiru Nuhu, who were murdered on October 10, 2023, when they crossed over to Burkina Faso. The rest are Jibril Ibrahim 39; Abdullah Bagare, 62; Mumuni Seidu,31; Abdul Kadril, 52; and Issaka, 40; who had gone into Burkina Faso to identify and collect their cattle that had been in the care of some murdered Fulani herdsmen.

“On October 13, 2023, 6 men, 5 of whom are owners of some of the cattle and the 6th person being Mahmudu Bani, father of the two herdsmen executed days earlier, all of whom were from the Bissa belt, crossed the border from Ghana into Burkina Faso to identify and retrieve their missing cattle that were sent to the identification and collection center after the two herdsmen were executed,” Abdul Malik Bansi, who addressed a press conference on the issue in Bawku said.

“While we appreciate the Burkinabe government’s effort to combat terrorism on its territory, we cannot accept the alleged summary execution of our brothers who cross into Burkina Faso for one reason or the other. The BDA further condemns the deafening silence by the government of Ghana in addressing the reports of the missing 7. It has been three long months of trauma, grief, and extreme pain for the families and loved ones of the missing persons”, the association lamented.

The Bissa Development Association wants a prompt investigation of the killings to bring closure to the issue.