By : Lloyd Mahachi
Four Moroccan truck drivers have gone missing while crossing the volatile border area between Burkina Faso and Niger. This incident has raised concerns about the safety of drivers in the region.
According to a source from the Moroccan Embassy in Burkina Faso and a Moroccan transport union, the drivers disappeared on Saturday. The embassy is working closely with Burkina Faso authorities to locate the missing drivers.
The drivers were traveling without an escort from Dori in Burkina Faso to Tera in Niger, an area notorious for jihadi threats. Three trucks, one carrying a spare driver, vanished during the journey.
The trucks were loaded with infrastructure equipment and had departed from Casablanca weeks ago, bound for Niger. The journey is a long and arduous one, taking drivers through some of the most volatile regions in West Africa.
The Moroccan diplomatic source revealed that the embassy is working closely with Burkina Faso authorities to locate the missing drivers. Authorities in Burkina Faso have been organizing security convoys to escort trucks in the border area, protecting them against militant attacks.
However, the trucks in question set off without waiting for an escort, which they had been waiting for over a week. Echarki El Hachmi, secretary general of Morocco’s transporters’ union, urged for more protection in high-risk areas, given the increasing number of Moroccan trucks crossing the Sahel region.
Earlier this month, a convoy of Moroccan trucks was attacked on the Malian border with Mauritania, although fortunately, there were no casualties. This incident highlights the dangers faced by truck drivers in the region and the need for enhanced security measures.
The disappearance of the Moroccan truck drivers has raised concerns about the safety of drivers in the Sahel region. The area has been plagued by Islamist militant groups linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State, whose insurgencies have destabilized several West African countries over the past decade.
Burkina Faso and Niger, both led by juntas, are struggling to combat these militant groups. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing attacks and kidnappings reported in the region.
The Moroccan government and transport unions are calling for increased security measures to protect drivers and ensure the safe passage of goods through the region. This includes providing escorts for trucks traveling through high-risk areas and improving communication networks to facilitate emergency responses.
The incident has also highlighted the need for greater cooperation between countries in the region to address the security challenges posed by militant groups. This includes sharing intelligence and coordinating efforts to combat terrorism and kidnapping.
As the search for the missing drivers continues, concerns about their safety and well-being remain high. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks faced by truck drivers in the Sahel region and the need for sustained efforts to improve security and protect human life.
Editor : Josephine Mahachi
