Keypoints:
- President’s sister-in-law detained in Lomé
- Accused of inciting army to rebel
- Opposition and activists demand her release
SECURITY forces have arrested former defence minister Marguerite Gnakadé, sister-in-law of President Faure Gnassingbé and a fierce critic of his family’s six-decade rule, security and judicial sources confirmed. Gnakadé, the widow of Gnassingbé’s elder brother Ernest, was seized at her Lomé home on Wednesday after publicly urging the military to side with citizens demanding democratic change.
‘She was arrested for serious acts, including her recent public appearance inciting the military to rebellion,’ a police official told AFP. Local media reported that plainclothes officers detained her without a warrant, a charge the government has not addressed.
Longstanding family rule challenged
The arrest comes amid weeks of deadly protests calling for Gnassingbé to resign and free political prisoners. The president has ruled Togo since 2005, succeeding his father Gnassingbé Éyadéma, who led the country for 38 years.
Public anger has deepened since May, when a new constitution allowed Gnassingbé to extend his power by assuming the newly created post of President of the Council of Ministers, the state’s highest executive office without term limits.
Sharp critic and former minister
Gnakadé, one of Togo’s first female defence ministers, served from 2020 to 2022. In recent months she published essays calling for a ‘peaceful, inclusive, and national transition’ and joined protests opposing Gnassingbé’s leadership.
Security sources told the BBC that some soldiers were uneasy about her detention, recalling her efforts to improve their working and living conditions during her tenure. Reports suggest prosecutors are exploring allegations of links to exiled opposition figures and attempts to incite disobedience within the armed forces—charges that could carry 10 to 20 years in prison if upheld.
Outcry from opposition and activists
Opposition coalition Touche Pas A Ma Constitution condemned what it called an ‘abuse of power’, saying Gnakadé was taken by ‘hooded’ security agents and demanding her unconditional release.
Youth movement M66 issued a 72-hour ultimatum for her freedom, warning of nationwide protests if authorities do not comply. ‘Togolese people are fed up with the arrests of dissident voices,’ said M66 leader Mokonzi, vowing to continue demonstrations despite official threats.
Deadly backdrop
Civil rights groups say at least seven protesters were killed in June during a crackdown on anti-government rallies, with bodies later found in rivers around the capital. The government has denied any link between the deaths and the protests.
Gnakadé’s detention adds fuel to a political crisis already marked by widespread anger over entrenched rule and the new constitutional order. Judicial authorities say further details on the charges are expected in the coming days, but opposition leaders warn the move signals a broader effort to silence dissent in Togo.
