Senegalese Member of Parliament, Guy Marius Sagna, was violently attacked over the weekend in Lomé, the capital of Togo, while attending the third extraordinary session of the ECOWAS parliamentary committee.
The assault occurred during a meeting organized by the Dynamique pour la Majorité du Peuple (DMP) and Togolese citizens. Sagna reported being attacked by “thugs” at the start of the gathering after inviting attendees to sing the Togolese national anthem.
In response, the Senegalese Ministry of Integration and Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday, strongly condemning the violence, labeling it “unspeakable.” Senegalese authorities reached out to check on the MP’s health, while Aminata Touré, a senior representative of the Senegalese president, expressed her outrage on X (formerly Twitter), calling the attack a “cowardly act” and demanding that the perpetrators be swiftly brought to justice.
Togolese MP Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson has since been tasked with ensuring the safety of Mr. Sagna, and has contacted the Togolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the incident.
The government of Lomé has pledged to take the necessary measures to guarantee the MP’s security, and Senegal has called for a full investigation to uncover the details surrounding the attack.