Ghanaian residents living near the border have expressed renewed concern over alleged incursions by Burkinabè security forces into Ghanaian territory, following the arrest of three Ghanaian Fulani residents in Gumaketere, near the Ghana–Burkina Faso border, in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region.
Kulungugu is a small border community located in the Pusiga District of Ghana’s Upper East Region, along the border with Burkina Faso.
Nearly 30 armed members of the Burkinabè security forces, including members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) and regular army personnel, reportedly entered the Ghanaian border community on 19 September 2026 in an operation that resulted in the arrest of three residents.
One of the victims was allegedly assaulted after attempting to resist arrest and reportedly sustained injuries during the operation.
The three men were identified as Osman Ali, Eliasou Mahmoud, and another resident whose name has not been disclosed.
According to one of the victims, who spoke to Conflict Monitor, the Burkinabè forces parked their motorcycles and military vehicles on the Burkinabè side of the area locally known as “Ghana Last” before crossing into Gumaketere.
He said the armed men arrived at around 3 p.m. in a remote Fulani village and surrounded the compound.
“When they arrived, I was still sleeping, and they woke me up. They asked us whether we were harbouring jihadists or their weapons. They also asked whether we were Ghanaians or Burkinabè. We told them we were Ghanaians, and they demanded to see our Ghanaian identity cards.”
The victim said that although the three men presented their identification documents, the security personnel proceeded to arrest them.
He alleged that when he resisted arrest, the officers tied his hands, covered his face, and assaulted him before taking him away.
The three Ghanaians were subsequently taken to a Burkinabè military position across the border, where they were questioned again about their alleged links to JN×M militants.
They were detained for several hours before being released later that day.
Renewed Concerns Along the Ghana–Burkina Faso Border
The incident has reignited concerns among some Ghanaian residents living along the border, particularly in the Bawku area, where memories remain vivid of a deadly incident in 2023 involving Ghanaian residents who had travelled to Bittou, Burkina Faso, for cattle identification checks.
Seven Ghanaians were killed in that incident, according to accounts gathered from local residents.
The latest incident also comes amid concerns over alleged cross-border operations by Burkinabè security forces and VDP militias since the military takeover in Burkina Faso in September 2022.
Some residents and security observers have expressed concern that the normalisation of relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama has not eliminated tensions or allegations of unauthorised cross-border activities.
Previous Alleged Cross-Border Incidents
Several incidents have previously raised concerns about the activities of Burkinabè security personnel and VDP members on Ghanaian territory.
– 2021: Armed members of the Burkinabè VDP allegedly crossed into Ghanaian territory and travelled more than 30 kilometres to Piina, along the Navrongo–Tumu road, where they reportedly arrested a Ghanaian national. The individual was released following protests by Ghanaian authorities, including officers of the Ghana Immigration Service in the Sissala East District.
– September 2023: Burkinabè VDP members and military personnel from Nohao and Bittou allegedly conducted a counterterrorism operation around Bador and in the area known as Ghana Last. According to local accounts, several herders were reportedly killed or injured, and livestock was stolen during the operation.
– August 2025: VDP members allegedly crossed into Ghanaian territory during the tribal violence in Gbiniyiri, in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region. Video footage showing armed Burkinabè VDP militiamen on Ghanaian territory assisting residents fleeing across the Black Volta circulated widely at the time.
– September 2025: Armed personnel from Burkina Faso’s National Intelligence Agency (ANR) allegedly crossed the border into Hamile, in the Lambussie-Karni District of the Upper West Region, and arrested a woman who had reportedly criticised Burkina Faso’s military government. She had allegedly sought asylum in Côte d’Ivoire and travelled to Ghana to visit relatives in Nandom. Her reported arrest on Ghanaian territory triggered protests among residents of Hamile (Hamélé).
– December 2025: Seventeen heavily armed Burkinabè soldiers allegedly took up positions on Ghanaian territory in Wuru, in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region. They were arrested and subsequently released following protests by local residents.
The recent incident in Gumaketere has renewed calls for closer coordination between Ghanaian and Burkinabè security forces along the border, particularly in communities where the border is porous and residents and security personnel frequently operate in close proximity to one another.
Questions remain as to whether the operation on 19 September was authorised or coordinated with Ghanaian security authorities.
At the time of publication, neither the Ghanaian authorities nor the Burkinabè government had issued an official statement regarding the alleged incursion into Gumaketere.
Source: Eliasu Buyadoo
Ghana Conflict Monitor
