Togo: reactions after the state of emergency declared in a northern region

Togolese soldiers in Dapaong, in February 2020 (illustration).

AFP - PIUS UTOMI EKPEI

Text by: RFI Follow

3 mins

In Togo, the government decreed, this Monday, June 13, 2022, a state of security emergency in the Savannah region.

An area in the north of the country, which has experienced two attacks in recent months.

The latest on the night of May 10-11 killed eight Togolese soldiers and was claimed by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM).

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“ 

The state needs to act, and act quickly and effectively 

,” said government spokesman Akodah Ayewouadan.

This measure is taken for three months

, and can be extended after authorization by the National Assembly.

Togo wants to equip itself with the legal and administrative means necessary to fight against these attackers, adds the government spokesperson: “ 

The state of security emergency aims in particular to provide the defense forces with additional means in terms of agility and operational capacity so that these defense and security forces can assume their role in the region much more effectively.

The security state of emergency also aims to provide the means to the public administration so that this public administration can function.

And you are aware that the Togolese government has put in place an emergency plan for this region.

And in order for this emergency plan to achieve the objectives that have been set, we need to have legal, administrative and operational flexibility to be able to achieve the objectives set by this emergency plan.

.

»

The fears of civil society

Trade unionist Frédéric Sanwogou, regional coordinator of TogoDebout in the Savanes region, believes that the state of emergency is justified, but he wonders about its implementation.

“ 

At first, people don't know what a state of emergency is.

What can authority do?

What should the citizen do?

What quick steps should they take to make it easier for law enforcement?

I don't know if this work was done on the side of the police to avoid any mistakes.

We, at the level of civil society, is what we fear the most, that people take advantage of this state of emergency to settle scores

.

»

And Frédéric Sanwogou to ask: " 

That the government take steps to really go inside the populations, to get people to understand the thing, because if people do not understand the thing, the implementation, there really will be a mess, there will be a lot of problems.

That we sensitize the populations and that we also sensitize the police in the execution, of the provisions that we will recommend to them

.

»

The Savanes region in the north of the country, bordering Burkina Faso, Benin and Ghana, has already been the object twice of attacks by armed individuals

killing eight members of the defense and security forces

.

A few days ago, Ghanaian intelligence services reported movements of armed individuals in the area between Ghana and Togo.

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