Ghana warns pilgrims against road travel to Senegal due to security risks

Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advisory urging members of the Tijjaniya Muslim Movement planning to travel to Senegal for pilgrimage to reconsider road journeys. The ministry cited increasing security risks along specific routes leading to Dakar, recommending air travel as the preferred and safest mode of transportation.

While emphasizing that Senegal itself remains safe for travelers, the advisory highlighted that long-distance road journeys have become more hazardous due to deteriorating security conditions. This concern is particularly relevant for pilgrims undertaking extensive overland travel to reach Dakar for their spiritual journey.

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The Ministry wishes to inform that while Senegal remains safe for travellers, concerns have arisen regarding security situations along certain road corridors leading to Dakar, particularly for persons undertaking long distance journeys by road

The warning comes amid a broader pattern of escalating insecurity across West Africa's overland routes. Reports indicate that truck drivers have become reluctant to make return journeys to Dakar, leading to stranded cargo. In response, military escorts have been implemented to maintain the flow of supplies to affected areas.

Attacks on transport convoys have reportedly spread to routes previously considered secure, underscoring the widening regional security challenge. This has also affected Ghanaians directly, with a tragic jihadist attack in Burkina Faso resulting in the deaths of eight Ghanaian traders earlier this year. The government has since reinforced travel guidance for high-risk areas in the sub-region.

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the most preferred, safe and secure means of transportation