Burkina Faso Military Government Detains NGO Workers Over Espionage Allegations
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — The military-led government of Burkina Faso has arrested eight employees of a Dutch-based humanitarian organization, accusing them of espionage and treason, escalating tensions between the junta and the international aid community amid a growing security crisis.
NGO Accused of Espionage
In a statement delivered Tuesday, Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said the arrested workers, including three Europeans, a Malian national, and four Burkinabé citizens, had “collected and passed on sensitive security information that could be detrimental to national security and the interests of Burkina Faso, to foreign powers.”
Among those detained are the country director and deputy director of the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), an organization specializing in security support for humanitarian actors in conflict zones.
According to the minister, INSO staff continued to operate covertly in the country despite being formally suspended in July for allegedly collecting sensitive data without government authorization.
“Despite the ban, members of this organization continued to secretly collect information and hold meetings,” Sana claimed during a press conference.
INSO Responds: “Allegations Are Baseless”
In an exclusive interview with BBC’s Newsday program, Anthony Neal, a representative of INSO, categorically denied the accusations and confirmed that the organization’s country director has been held in detention since July, with the remaining staff members arrested at later dates.
“We continue to work towards their safe and immediate release,” Neal said.
The NGO insists that its information-gathering operations ceased on 31 July, the same day the Burkinabé government issued a three-month suspension order against the group. Neal emphasized that their staff remained in-country only to fulfill contractual obligations and to manage the legal proceedings surrounding the detentions.
“The safety information we collect is not classified or confidential. It is solely intended to protect humanitarian workers operating in high-risk areas,” the organization said in a statement.
INSO further asserted that their activities were conducted transparently and with the full knowledge and cooperation of Burkinabé authorities prior to the suspension.
Humanitarian Work in Crosshairs
Founded in 2019 in Burkina Faso, INSO has played a critical role in providing security briefings and situational awareness to NGOs operating in regions affected by the country’s ongoing Islamist insurgency.
However, the case underscores growing tensions between foreign humanitarian organizations and the country’s military government, which has increasingly turned away from international partnerships in favor of closer military ties with Russia.
Since coming to power in a 2022 coup, Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s junta has taken a hardline stance on foreign influence, expelling French military forces and distancing itself from its former colonial ties. The administration has also come under fire from human rights organizations, which accuse it of cracking down on civil liberties, suppressing dissent, and committing abuses against civilians in its counterterrorism operations.
Global Concern for Aid Workers
The detentions add to growing concerns about the shrinking space for humanitarian operations in the Sahel region, where aid workers are facing increasing threats from both insurgents and government forces.
“This year has seen a record number of aid workers killed globally,” Neal told the BBC. “We believe safety information is critical to reducing that risk. Criminalizing such efforts puts lives in danger.”
The Burkinabé government has not publicly disclosed evidence supporting its allegations of espionage, and no formal charges have been announced.
Diplomatic sources say quiet negotiations are underway to secure the release of the detained staff, though the political climate remains tense.
