Burkina Faso’s Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, conducted a field tour through Nayala Province on Sunday, marked by an unprecedented visit to the commune of Kougny.
Local residents enthusiastically hailed the event as “historic,” noting that no government minister had ever visited the locality before. The Security Minister visited Nayala Province, located in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, specifically to assess the security situation on the ground, engage directly with local populations, and meet with the forces deployed in the ongoing fight against terrorism, the ministry’s communications department reported.
Accompanied by the regional governor and local administrative authorities, the minister travelled first to the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR 23) camp in Toma, before proceeding to the communes of Kougny and Gassan. Addressing highly mobilised crowds, Sana delivered a message of support from the President of the Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and the Prime Minister. He explained that the tour aimed to assess ground realities firsthand, boost the morale of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS), and listen directly to citizens’ concerns regarding regional stability.
In Kougny, the local paramount chief described the visit as deeply historic, confirming it as the first-ever ministerial presence in the area. He declared that it was the first time in their history that a minister had visited their locality, adding that residents had willingly halted their farming, commercial, and social activities to accord the minister an exceptional welcome. The chief also expressed the community’s profound gratitude to national authorities for their ongoing efforts to secure the country.
For his part, the minister commended the unwavering dedication of the FDS, the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP), and the Dozo traditional hunters, urging them to maintain vigilance, discipline, and cohesion. He heavily emphasised the critical need to strengthen active collaboration between local populations and combat forces, particularly through intelligence sharing. Concluding his tour, Mahamadou Sana reaffirmed the government’s unwavering determination to pursue all necessary actions to reinforce security and restore lasting peace across the entire national territory.
HO/te/Sf/lb/abj/APA