NIANGOLOKO — On Tuesday, the Ton Association headquarters on the Burkina-Côte-D’Ivoire border provided shelter for 173 Burkinabè nationals who were expelled from the Ivory Coast. The group, including women, children, and a four-month-old baby, were housed in buildings and tents prepared by the Red Cross.

According to Burkina Information Agency, one of the returnees, they were abruptly transported from Ouangolodougou, Ivory Coast, where they lived with their herds, back to Burkina Faso without any explanations. The returnees, all from the Peulh ethnic group and originating from a village in the commune of Ouarkoye, left behind family members and livestock. Nandy Somé, Minister of Solidarity, Humanitarian Action, National Reconciliation, Gender, and Family, along with Mahamadou Sana, the delegate in charge of Security, visited the site on Wednesday to assess the situation and the emergency response system put in place following their arrival.

The ministers’ visit aimed to ensure the well-being of these individuals, as Somé expressed satisfaction with the current system, which includes food distribution and medical care. She emphasized the government’s preparedness in handling such situations, mentioning ongoing efforts to manage the massive repatriation they had anticipated. Sana raised concerns about the refoulement’s compliance with international conventions and hinted at potential underlying motives, possibly related to the ECOWAS summit or the individuals’ ethnic background.

The government’s response also included delivering additional food and resources to bolster the existing emergency services. Somé hinted at the possibility of further influxes and encouraged the returnees to remain in Burkina Faso to help build the nation, echoing the president’s directive to individually assess each returnee’s situation and provide necessary assistance.