Joint Ghana–Togo Security Action Prevents Ethnic Violence After Kongo Attack

A potentially explosive ethnic conflict was averted over the weekend thanks to a rapid joint security operation between Ghanaian and Togolese forces following an armed attack in Kongo, a border town in Ghana’s Tempane District.

The violence broke out on Saturday afternoon when armed members of the Bimoaba youth stormed a Fulbe settlement, reportedly due to a long-standing land dispute. The assault left five Fulbe residents injured—two of them critically—and resulted in the destruction of homes and food stores.

In the aftermath, some of the attackers and fleeing victims crossed into Togo, prompting immediate intervention from Togolese authorities. Their forces managed to rescue several victims and arrest three suspects, while their Ghanaian counterparts later detained five others back on home soil.

One of the injured, Yakubu Barry, commended the quick response of the Togolese security forces, stating that their action was crucial in preventing an escalation. “Their swift move stopped what could have become a dangerous cross-border conflict, as Fulbe groups were already mobilising,” he said.

Barry and other affected residents are now urging both governments to ensure the prosecution of the perpetrators and reinforce long-term security in the area.