Military regimes in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger are weaponizing forced disappearances and illegal detentions to crush criticism and suppress civil society, according to fresh reports.
In Guinea, two prominent activists from the Front National pour la Défense de la Constitution—Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla (alias “Foniké Menguè”)—were abducted from Oumar Sylla’s home the night before a major protest against rising living costs and the demand for a return to civilian rule. Another activist, Mohamed Cissé, was also detained and later released with severe injuries after two days. Witnesses claim the pair was taken to a secret detention site in the Loos Islands off Conakry, though authorities deny holding them. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.
This pattern of repression is not isolated. Across the region, civil society members—including journalists, lawyers, judges, activists, and human rights defenders—are systematically targeted, abducted in broad daylight or from their homes or workplaces, and held in undisclosed locations. Often blindfolded and transported in unmarked vehicles, victims are subjected to prolonged interrogations without legal representation or due process. Warrants are never presented, and authorities routinely deny involvement or withhold information about the detainees’ fate. Families and lawyers are left in the dark, sometimes discovering that detainees were held in unofficial facilities like security service offices.
In this lawless journey beyond judicial reach, the worst can—and often does—happen to the victims.
How forced disappearances fuel fear in West African civil society
The deliberate use of forced disappearances and illegal detentions is a calculated strategy to instill fear and silence opposition. By removing critics from public view without explanation, military regimes send a chilling message: dissent comes at a price, and no one is safe. The tactic targets not only high-profile activists but also everyday citizens who dare to challenge authority—whether through protests, critical journalism, or legal advocacy.
Once abducted, victims are cut off from the outside world. No legal channels exist for families to seek answers. No court can intervene. The absence of transparency and accountability creates an environment of pervasive fear, where even whispers of dissent can lead to disappearance. This climate of intimidation stifles freedom of expression, assembly, and association—cornerstones of a functioning democracy.
The growing list of victims in West Africa’s military crackdowns
In Burkina Faso, Guy Hervé Kam, a lawyer and co-founder of the Balai Citoyen movement, was illegally detained for five months in 2024 after publicly denouncing civilian massacres linked to the armed conflict. In March 2025, five other members of the Sens movement—who had also spoken out against abuses—were abducted by armed men in civilian clothing, reportedly linked to security forces. Authorities have remained silent despite repeated calls for their release. Four journalists—Serge Oulon, Adama Bayala, Kalifara Séré, and Alain Traoré (aka “Alain Alain”)—were taken in June and July 2024. While three were later conscripted into the military under a general mobilization decree, the fourth’s fate remains unknown.
In Niger, journalist and blogger Samira Sabou vanished for a week in September 2023 after her arrest at home. Lawyers for Moussa Tchangari, Secretary-General of Alternatives Espaces Citoyens, only learned his detention location two days later when he was transferred to police custody. Similarly, in Mali, opposition leader Ibrahim Nabi Togola, head of the Nouvelle Vision pour le Mali party, was abducted in December 2024 by suspected state security agents and held for 45 days before being released. In Guinea, journalist Habib Marouane Camara was taken on December 3, 2024, by armed men identified as gendarmes; his family has had no news since.
Many forcibly disappeared individuals are later handed over to police to face sham legal proceedings, compounding the injustice.
Why the judiciary must step up to defend the rule of law
In several cases, victims of forced disappearances are eventually transferred to police custody, where they face fabricated charges. In Burkina Faso, the repression takes a more sinister turn: detainees are forcibly conscripted into the military and sent to the frontlines against armed groups. This was the fate of Guézouma Sanogo and Boukari Ouoba—president and vice-president of the Association des journalistes du Burkina Faso—who had publicly exposed escalating press freedom violations. Their families received no news for a week after their arrest on March 24, 2025, until a video surfaced showing them in military uniforms. Journalist Luc Pagbelguem of private channel BF1, who amplified these concerns, also disappeared for a week before his conscription was announced.
Justice systems across the region are under immense pressure. Despite risks, some judges and magistrates are pushing back. In Burkina Faso, courts ordered the immediate release of lawyer Guy Hervé Kam. In Guinea, the bar association staged a boycott of court sessions for days, demanding the release of Oumar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah. Courts in Mali and Niger have also ruled against arbitrary detentions, though such rulings have drawn retaliation. In Burkina Faso, at least five magistrates were forcibly conscripted into the military in 2024 after presiding over cases involving authorities or their allies.
For justice to prevail, international support for the judiciary in these countries is critical. Without it, the cycle of repression—marked by forced disappearances, illegal detentions, and fabricated charges—will continue unchecked. The stakes are high: the survival of the rule of law, and the lives of those still missing, depend on it.
