Côte d’Ivoire – Blockade at the residence of Pascal Affi N’guessan: the former Prime Minister responds
On the night of Sunday, October 12, 2025, the residence of the president of the Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI), Pascal Affi N’guessan, was temporarily surrounded by security forces. In an audio recording broadcast by Franck Bi Ballo Zoro, the former prime minister spoke about the incident.
“I am at home, at the residence. The blockade, the reasons for which escape us, lasted nearly two hours before being lifted,” said Mr. Affi N’guessan. “No explanation was given to us. We were only forbidden to go out or receive visitors. Dignitaries who came to see me and children who greeted us were unable to return home. We spent nearly four hours under this blockade,” he added.
The former head of government also spoke about the persistent insecurity in the country: “We are not safe. We take note of this situation. We entrust our security… to God, that’s almost all there is.” Mr. Affi N’guessan called for solidarity within the Common Front, stating that “if a call to action is issued by the common front, we commit to supporting all struggles for freedom and democracy in our country.”
Although the blockade was lifted, he believes the threat remains: “For the moment, we are free. But the sword of Damocles of arrest still hangs over the heads of Ivorians, and over ours in particular.”
The former prime minister concluded by calling for determination and courage: “We must not give in to fear or intimidation. The fight for freedom is long and full of threats, but it is unavoidable. It is a struggle for the sovereignty, democracy and the rights of all Ivorians. To build a prosperous and just country, we must be ready to fight so that Côte d’Ivoire is a state governed by the rule of law, where justice is independent and human rights are respected. It is our duty to our children and to the country’s future.”
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