Burkina Faso’s military government has arrested eight aid workers affiliated with a Dutch-based humanitarian organization on allegations of espionage and treason, underscoring the country’s growing distrust of Western institutions operating in the Sahel, Business Insider Africa reported.
According to Security Minister Mahamadou Sana, the detainees include three Europeans, a Malian, and four Burkinabé nationals, all staff members of the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), including the group’s country director and deputy.
Authorities claim the organization collected and passed on sensitive security information that could compromise national security and benefit foreign powers.
INSO, which provides safety and risk management advice to humanitarian groups, has firmly denied the accusations, calling for the immediate release of its staff.
The arrests mark a deepening rift between Burkina Faso and Western entities, as the country’s ruling junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré continues to assert sovereignty and reduce foreign influence.
Since seizing power in 2022, Traoré’s government has expelled French troops, suspended several European NGOs, and restricted international media operations, including those of the BBC and Voice of America.
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INSO was suspended on July 31 for collecting sensitive data without authorization, and authorities now allege the organization continued those activities secretly.
INSO representative Anthony Neal told the BBC that the organization halted all data collection immediately after the suspension and maintained that its work was transparent and focused solely on improving safety for aid workers in conflict zones.
“We’ve been engaging with the Burkinabé government to resolve misunderstandings,” Neal said. “Safety information is not confidential, it’s about keeping humanitarian staff alive in one of the world’s most dangerous regions.”
The arrests mirror similar crackdowns in neighboring Mali and Niger, where military-led governments have expelled foreign media outlets and aid agencies, accusing them of spreading disinformation and spying.
Together, the three nations, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), have intensified their efforts to distance themselves from Western powers while strengthening ties with Russia for military and diplomatic support in fighting Islamist insurgencies.
The AES bloc is also pursuing a collective withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing it of bias and neo-colonial interference.
For Ouagadougou, the tightening restrictions on NGOs and foreign organizations form part of a broader campaign to control information and consolidate state power amid escalating insecurity.
Rights groups warn that the arrests and continued hostility toward Western institutions could worsen humanitarian access, further endangering civilians trapped between jihadist violence and military operations.
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Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
