Fear grips Paga over terrorist attack in Burkina

Some residents of Ghana's border town of Paga, in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, say they are now living in fear, following a terrorist attack that killed 18 people in neighbouring Burkina Faso on Sunday.

Though residents were seen going about their normal businesses when this reporter visited the town on Monday, they said they were living in fear, because they could not tell whether the terrorists would extend their dastardly act to the border town.

Sunday's attack on the Aziz Istanbul Restaurant comes barely a year after a similar attack on January 15, 2016.

In that attack on the Cappuccino Restaurant and the Splendid Hotel in the heart of Ouagadougou, at least, 30 people were killed, whilst about 56 others were wounded.

At both the Ghana and Burkina Faso sides of the border, long vehicles loaded with goods were seen stranded.

According to a source at the immigration post at the border, the cause of the stranded vehicles was due to limited spaces at the Burkina Faso side of the border for vehicles to park.

“These vehicles have been parked here for the past three days because the parking space at Dakola [a border community] on the Burkina Faso side is too small,” the source said.

Our source was, however, quick to add that the terrorist attack had worsened the situation, explaining that it was to be monitored to ensure the safety of travelers before they would be allowed to cross the border.

Meanwhile, information at press time indicated that the border had been opened, with both human and vehicular movements into Burkina Faso and Ghana respectively picking up.

“Though we are going about doing our business, we are afraid these terrorists may come and attack us like they did in Burkina Faso,” a visibly-disturbed resident said.

Mr. Clement Kuyianyim Dandori, District Chief Executive of the area, said security officials had briefed him about the situation, and assured him that they were on high alert.

According to him, security had been beefed up at the border post and along the border, especially on unapproved routes. He, therefore, encouraged residents to stay calm and go about their normal duties.

From William Nlanjerbor Jalulah, Paga