WEB DESK: Authorities in Burkina Faso have arrested eight employees of an international NGO on charges of espionage and treason, the country’s interior minister announced on Wednesday. Interior Minister Mahamoudou Sana told reporters at a press conference that the detainees include four foreigners and four local staff members, among them the organisation’s country director.
Officials allege that the group was gathering sensitive information on military operations, militant movements, and post-attack casualties, activities they said violated national laws.
🚨L’ONG” INSO”avec la complicité de certains de certains burkinabè espionnent en recensant soigneusement les itinéraires ,la compositions et les mouvements des Convois de nos FDS censé tenu en secret alors que son rôle n’était pas celà !au Faso,tout finit par se savoir 🫡🇧🇫❤️ pic.twitter.com/YoCrOsgHrn
— Lionne du Sahel (@AESLIONNE226) October 7, 2025
“These actions constitute serious breaches of Burkina Faso’s security legislation, and legal proceedings will be initiated,” the minister stated.
The arrested individuals are reportedly linked to the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), a Netherlands-based body. INSO said it only shares information with national and international partners for humanitarian purposes — specifically to enhance the safety of aid workers.
Gaza ceasefire signing expected at 0900 GMT
INSO representative Anthony Neal told Reuters that the organisation had not broken any laws and rejected the ministry’s accusations. He said INSO’s role was limited to collecting and sharing safety-related data to help NGOs plan operations securely.
The interior minister further alleged that INSO had continued operating despite an official suspension order issued at the end of July. Responding to this, Neal said the group had appointed a liaison team after the country director’s arrest to maintain communication with authorities and that these steps were taken in coordination with officials.
“We are still trying to establish direct contact to address the government’s concerns,” Neal added.
Burkina Faso has faced years of worsening insecurity, with increasing militant attacks and deteriorating stability across the West African nation.