Seven Ghanaian tomato traders have been confirmed dead and four others injured following a terrorist attack in Titao, northern Burkina Faso, with the commencement of DNA testing to formally identify the victims whose bodies were burned beyond recognition.
The Minister for the Interior, Mubarak-Muntaka Mohammed, who disclosed this, described the incident as “an unfortunate and sad situation” involving Ghanaian traders who had travelled to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes for resale in Ghana.
According to the Minister, armed jihadists stormed the town last Saturday, rounding up residents and targeting males in particular, adding that the Ghanaian traders, who had travelled in their own truck, were caught in the assault.
“They separated the males from the females and went on a shooting spree, killing the men and burning them together with the truck,” he told Accra-based Joy FM yesterday.
Out of the group, seven Ghanaian men were killed. Three other men sustained injuries, while one woman suffered serious injuries. Seven other women who were part of the trading team escaped without physical harm, the Minister disclosed.
Mr. Mubarak-Muntaka said the bodies of the deceased were severely burned and had begun decomposing, making visual identification impossible.
As a result, he said the government is working with its counterpart in Burkina Faso to conduct DNA tests before officially releasing the names of the victims.
“We have names from the surviving women who travelled with them and knew them personally, but we do not want to mix up identities. That is why we are working with DNA to confirm,” he explained.
The Minister stated that efforts by Ghana’s mission in Ouagadougou to travel to Titao and witness the burial of the Ghanaians were unsuccessful due to security concerns, pointing out that the area remains unsafe, with limited access even for diplomatic staff.
He said Burkina Faso authorities had, however, assured Ghana that military escorts would be provided to evacuate the injured and other surviving Ghanaians to Ouagadougou, where they will be received by officials of the Ghana Embassy before arrangements are made for their return home.
The Interior Minister also appealed to the public to refrain from sharing graphic images circulating on social media.
“Please, let us have empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of their families. If your loved one’s body was being shared online in such a state, would you be happy?” he asked, warning that premature circulation of images could cause panic among relatives who have not yet been formally informed.
Mr. Mubarak-Muntaka noted that President John Dramani Mahama recently convened a high-level meeting in Accra involving security chiefs and foreign ministers to address rising extremist attacks in the sub-region.
He said West African leaders had agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint efforts to combat terrorism.
“This is not something one country can deal with alone. We must work together as a sub-region,” he stressed, extending condolences to the bereaved families and assuring that the government is doing everything possible to support survivors and bring them home safely.
By Florence Asamoah Adom