By Favour Abbah
ABUJA — The Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Alexander Kwabena Afenyo-Markin, has called for swift and coordinated regional action to protect West African citizens amid recent killings in Burkina Faso and escalating xenophobic violence in South Africa.
Speaking at the Parliament’s first ordinary session of 2026 in Abuja on Tuesday, Afenyo-Markin warned that the region risks failing its core mandate if it cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens across borders.
“We must hold ourselves accountable. Any community that cannot protect its people in transit has fallen short of its purpose,” he said.
He cited the February 14 attack in northern Burkina Faso, where suspected militants reportedly ambushed a truck conveying 18 Ghanaian tomato traders, killing several of them.
The lawmaker also expressed concern over deteriorating security in Mali, noting that persistent attacks have disrupted key trade corridors and made cross-border movement increasingly dangerous.
Turning to South Africa, Afenyo-Markin condemned the resurgence of xenophobic violence in cities including KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town and Pretoria, where foreign nationals among them Nigerians and Ghanaians have reportedly been attacked, killed and displaced.
While acknowledging statements by President Cyril Ramaphosa condemning the attacks, he stressed that rhetoric must be backed by concrete action.
“Condemnation is not enough. There must be arrests and prosecution of those responsible,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin also faulted the slow implementation of the ECOWAS free movement protocol, pointing to persistent harassment at borders and conflicting national laws as obstacles to regional integration.
He proposed the establishment of a special committee dedicated to the safety of ECOWAS citizens, alongside stronger enforcement of free movement rights and formal engagement with South African authorities and continental human rights institutions.
According to him, safeguarding the lives and rights of West African citizens must remain a top priority for governments across the region.
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