President Gnassingbe who made this known on national television during his presidential decrees on Thursday gave no specific reasons for the reshuffle.
President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo has embarked on a major military reshuffle in which he sacked the Minister of the Armed Forces of the country, Marguerite Essossimna Gnakade and announced the appointment of a new Chief of Staff.
President Gnassingbe who made this known on national television during his presidential decrees on Thursday gave no specific reasons for the reshuffle.
However, it was learnt that the changes come as the country has recently been facing a growing security threat from jihadist groups.
It could be recalled that since November 2021, Togo has suffered at least five attacks including two deadly attacks that occurred in the far Northern part of the country, which has been overtaken by jihadist incursions from across the border in Burkina Faso.
The president’s first presidential decree announcing the minister’s removal said, “Marguerite Essossimna Gnakade is relieved of her duties as armed forces minister,” adding that the minister had been “called to other duties.”
While another decree stated that no replacement would be named as the armed forces would be answerable directly to the presidency, under the orders of Gnassingbe, as was the case from 2007 to 2020.
Meanwhile, President Gnassingbe announced the promotion of the former chief of staff of the Air Force, Colonel Tassounti Djato, to General and while he appointed chief of general staff of the Togolese Armed Forces to replace General Dadja Maganawe, who had occupied the position since late 2020.
Togo, like many other West African countries, has been facing security challenges. In the middle of July this year, it was reported how unidentified armed individuals carried out a bloody attack in the country, as the army reported “several dead and a few wounded.”
Local media reported that between 15 and 20 civilians were killed. And in November, local media reported a deadly attack on armed forces in the far North which the media was unable to confirm and the authorities refused to comment on the attack.