Bawku Central Member of Parliament (MP) Mahama Ayariga has petitioned the Foreign Affairs Ministry to assist locate and return some seven Ghanaians who have been held in Burkina Faso.
The seven Ghanaians were reportedly arrested by the military authorities in Burkina Faso and have since not been traced.
In a letter on Wednesday, November 1 to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr Ayariga said he has tried within his powers as the Member of Parliament to ascertain the whereabouts of the victims, but to no avail.
“I hereby formally write to seek your assistance to locate and secure the release of seven (7) residents of the communities of Bador and Tampizua in Bawku Municipality, who are believed to have been arrested by the military authorities in Burkina Faso and despite every effort we have been unable to locate them and secure their return to Ghana.”
The former Youth and Sports Minister provided further details on what led to the arrest of these seven Ghanaians.
According to him, the affected persons have been held since Friday, October 13.
“They crossed over into Burkina Faso on Friday 13th of October, 2023 to Bittou District in Burkina Faso with the assistance of the Assembly Member for Kanyere a suburb of Mogande also in Bittu District in Burkina Faso. The Assembly Member is called Adamah Bidigah.
“Fulani herdsmen grazed cattle belonging to the missing persons in a village called Kanyere in the Bittu District on the Burkina Faso side of the border between Bawku in Ghana and Burkina Faso. Military men came to the area and fired warning shots and the Fulani men run away and left the cattle.
“Two Fulani men are reported to have died in the incident. The Burkina Faso military drove the cattle to Bittu District capital (Bittu),” he said.