Nigerians intercepted at Kassouala
Border checks have just yielded results in northeastern Benin. On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, police officers stationed at the Okpara bridge in the Kassouala district intercepted a group of 24 people, including a young Beninese suspected of being the smuggler.
The operation took place early in the morning, around 8:30 AM, during a routine search. The law enforcement officers identified 23 travelers, all Nigerian nationals of Hausa ethnicity. The group was heading to Burkina Faso.
Taken to the police station for further questioning, the migrants explained their journey. They revealed that they had left the town of Tchaki in Nigeria, before walking and spending the night in Boukouro, a Beninese village close to the border. According to their statements, they intended to go to gold mining sites in Burkina Faso to seek gold.
Although checks revealed that all these travelers possessed valid identity documents, the police are looking to understand the background of this trip. The suspicions mainly focus on their guide, a 20-year-old young Beninese. Originally from Bassila and living in Parakou, he is suspected of having organized this clandestine movement.
All the individuals apprehended have been transferred to the Tchaourou police station. An investigation is underway to clarify this case and determine if it involves an organized migrant trafficking network.
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