Protests in Togo drives death tolls and injuries to heights

Recent anti-government protests in Togo drives death toll towards their citizen and many more injured according to reports from civic groups in Togo on June 30th.

The protests were over recent constitutional reforms that could lead President Faure Gnassingbé’s into power for much longer. Whilst videos of securities abusing power emerge, police also backs it with further actions such as firing tear gas into neighbourhoods in Lomé, as well as beating protesters with batons leading some protesters to serious injuries, according to footage’s from the scene.

Internet access across Togo has been restricted alongside social media platforms functioning intermittently. Civil society groups and social media influencers across Togo had called for protests from June 26th to 28th. This was done after the government’s clampdown towards Togo’s protesters early this June.

Faure Gnassingbé, who has ruled Togo since 2005 on May, following his father’s day, was sworn by the Council of Ministers. This powerful role in Togo has no term limits and he is eligible to re-elected by the parliament indefinitely. Gnassingbé’s former job as national president, a position that is now mostly ceremonial, was given to politician Jean-Lucien Kwassi Savi de Tove after the announcement. This move according to the opposition party of Gnassingbé, was called “constitutional coup”.

Demonstrations, which are a rarity in Togo due to it being banned in the country since 2022 following a deadly attack at Lomé’s main market. However, the latest change in government structure has been criticised in a region threatened by rampant coups and other threats to society.

Africanews.