The Minister for Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, has announced details of the terrorist attack that occurred in Titao, northern Burkina Faso, where seven Ghanaian traders were killed.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, February 16, he disclosed that the bodies of the seven deceased traders have been laid to rest, as the government intensifies efforts to rescue the surviving victims.
According to Mubarak, the bodies were burnt beyond recognition and had begun decomposing, forcing authorities to proceed with burial arrangements in Burkina Faso.
The Ghanaian government had hoped its diplomatic mission could be present to witness the burial, but the volatile security situation prevented safe travel to the area.
“So the Burkina Faso authorities told us [Ghanaians] that they would bury them at 10 a.m. today. But our women who are not really injured can go and witness and take as many pictures as possible,” he elaborated.
The victims were part of a group of 18 Ghanaian tomato traders and truck drivers who were caught up in the deadly attack last Saturday. Seven people died, and several others were injured.
“The sad thing is that we lost seven of our men. Three of them got injured. One woman was critically injured, and others were not badly injured,” he stated.
The Minister for Interior further explained that the Burkina Faso military is working to create a protective corridor to transport the injured and uninjured survivors to Ghana’s mission in Ouagadougou, after which arrangements will be made for their return home.