Fresh clashes in Togo leave 4 dead

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Tension is mounting once again in Togo following Tuesday’s clash between government forces and supporters of the opposition party which left four persons dead.

There are fears of more deaths as the protest heightens on Wednesday, a day after two civilians and two security officers were killed.

Opposition, Parti National Panafricain (PNP) leader, Tikpi Salifou Atchadam, has called for the immediate resignation of President Faure Gnassingbe, the current head of a half-century-old political dynasty, rejecting a government move to introduce term limits.

Gnassingbe has ruled the West African nation since his father died in 2005 after 38 years in power.

File Photo

The late President Gnassingbe Eyadema passed a law in 1992 limiting the president to two terms in power, only to scrap it a decade later.

Togo’s Cabinet has adopted a draft bill to bring back the term limits, the government announced in a statement. But the decision did little to satisfy an increasingly rejuvenated opposition.

It was a chaotic scene on Wednesday morning as any crowd of protesters of the opposition was dispersed with a blow of tear gas by the military.

Reports reaching Joy News indicates that other corners of Lomé have been closed to traffic by the police and security forces.

File Photo

Also, opposition-dominated areas such as Bè-Gakpoto roundabout has been surrounded by dozens of security forces.

Meanwhile, Tuesday clashes have resulted in the mounting of roadblocks at Sokodé cutting it off from the rest of Togo all day as the clashes between the protestors and security forces continue.

Sokodé has no respite after last night’s dramatic events following the arrest of Djobo Mohamed Alassani, the Imam of a Sokodé mosque, one of the leaders of the PNP political party.

The scene is the same as that which happened at night as organized gangs of young people are constantly blocking roads and burning tires.