Former Defence Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, has urged the government to present a comprehensive briefing on the deadly assault in Burkina Faso that resulted in the deaths of eight Ghanaian traders.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Nitiwul acknowledged that an official communication has been issued but maintained that the gravity of the incident demands a more exhaustive explanation from the relevant state institutions — particularly the Foreign Affairs Ministry or the Defence Ministry.

“I just think that the Ghanaian government must be explaining to us what happened and the circumstances. Government has come out with some statement, but we want a detailed explanation,” he said.

He further raised concerns over the lack of a substantive defence minister at a time when regional security threats are escalating, insisting that incidents of this magnitude warrant engagement at the highest level of the country’s security leadership.

“That’s why I kept calling for the president to appoint a defence minister. By this time, the minister for defence should have been on a flight to Burkina Faso with his team,” he stated.

According to him, matters involving cross-border attacks and external aggression squarely fall under the jurisdiction of the Defence Ministry rather than the Interior Ministry, and must, therefore, be treated as a national security priority.

“With all due respect to the interior minister, that is not his job. His responsibility ends at Paga, the border. Beyond that, it is the duty of the defence minister, working with defence intelligence and national security, to set up a team, go there, investigate what happened and ensure it does not happen again,” he said.

His comments come after President John Dramani Mahama visited survivors of the attack at the 37 Military Hospital today.

The victims were part of a group of Ghanaian tomato traders travelling through Burkina Faso when their truck was ambushed by armed assailants. Reports indicate that the attackers lined up the men, shot them, and set the vehicle ablaze.

The former minister emphasised the need for a thorough investigation into the incident, saying it is crucial to understand the circumstances that led to the attack and to put measures in place to prevent a recurrence.