Three Ghanaians have told the BBC about their involvement in the ongoing conflict between Islamist insurgents and the military in Burkina Faso, revealing the scale of violence and raising concerns about security in the region.
The men, all in their late thirties or early forties, claimed to have crossed the 550km Ghana-Burkina Faso border multiple times since 2018 to participate in battles. While some expressed motivations tied to defending civilian communities, others admitted to religious and financial incentives.
Ghanaian Involvement in Burkina Faso Insurgency
One fighter recounted the tragic killing of his family by the Burkinabe military, stating:
“My elder brother, his wife and children were all killed by the army. A whole household, including 29 people, were wiped out.”
Another fighter acknowledged the religious dimension, claiming that fighting with jihadists secures a place in Jannah (paradise). However, the group was divided on whether they targeted civilians—one denied such actions, while another admitted to retaliatory attacks.
Jihadist Recruitment in Ghana
The BBC traced these individuals through cattle markets in northern Ghana, a suspected recruitment ground for jihadist groups. Research by Promediation, a France-based NGO, in 2022 estimated that between 200 and 300 young Ghanaians had joined the insurgency. However, the fighters told the BBC that recruits came from “all parts of Ghana” and many ethnic groups.
Financial motivations also play a role, with jihadists stealing livestock from attacked communities and trafficking them to Ghana for sale. Cattle dealers in northern Ghana confirmed this cross-border black market trade.
Concerns Over Spillover Into Ghana
While Ghana has remained largely unaffected by the insurgency, neighboring Togo and Ivory Coast have witnessed attacks. A JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin) spokesperson, speaking to Ghanaian journalist Mohammed Eliasu Tanko, stated that the group had no interest in attacking Ghana. However, the rise in communal violence in Bawku, northern Ghana, has heightened fears of jihadist infiltration.
Bawku has been embroiled in an ethnic conflict over chieftaincy, with more than 100 deaths since October 2023. Reports suggest that jihadist groups are smuggling weapons into Ghana, allegedly using onion trucks from Niger to transport stolen military firearms.
Ghana’s Defence Minister, Edward Omane Boamah, did not respond to a BBC request for comment, but President John Mahama has prioritized resolving the Bawku crisis.
Uncertain Future
The Ghanaian fighters interviewed by the BBC warned that the conflict could expand further into Ghana.
“It didn’t exist in Togo, but now there are attacks there. If they can go to Togo, they can reach Ghana. This thing is strong,” one of them stated.
However, another fighter expressed disillusionment, arguing that the insurgency is no longer a religious struggle but has instead become a vehicle for looting and violence.
Security analysts warn that unless Ghana tightens its border security and addresses rising local conflicts, the insurgency may find new ground within the country.
