Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced that Burkinabe authorities have launched over 70 disciplinary cases against police and gendarmerie officers accused of undermining free-movement protocols across the borders of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Speaking in Ouagadougou during International Identity Day activities, Minister Sana publicly condemned border officials who continue to obstruct movement, emphasizing that seamless cross-border mobility among Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger represents a mandatory legal obligation rather than an administrative option. The formal investigation targets persistent extortion and arbitrary delays reported at key transit points, including the Yendéré, Cinkansé, Faramana, and Koloko border posts.
Despite previous disciplinary interventions in 2024 and 2025 that resulted in summary dismissals, security officials acknowledged that illicit practices have persisted despite targeted sensitization campaigns. The crackdown comes as the AES confederation accelerates the integration of a standardized biometric identity card and a shared confederation passport, key regional mechanisms finalized during high-level ministerial meetings in Bamako and Ouagadougou. To enforce compliance, the Ministry of Security plans to institute mandatory retraining programs for border personnel while reassuring citizens across the three member nations of their protected legal right to unrestricted movement throughout the confederation.
HO/te/lb/abj/APA