On December 2, 2021 in the locality of Boyo, the prefecture of Ouaka, Central African Republic, a conflict between members of criminal groups resulted in injuries and deaths of civilian residents. Seven armed men reportedly retreated to the locality of Tagbara where the UN peacekeeping forces are stationed. The local population confirms that personnel of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the CAR were previously seen in close cooperation with the armed group.
Hassan Osman Sisankiri, a former general of the rebel group Union for Peace in the CAR, was proved to be the leader of the armed group in that locality and it has been alleged that Sisankiri controlled the region with the approval of the MINUSCA contingent. Documents found during the search of Sisankiri’s house by the gendarmerie, as part of an operation in Boyo on September 8, 2021, revealed that Ali Darassa—a Nigerian leader and founder of the UPC—appointed Sisankeri as a commander of the UPC cell stationed in Boyo.
It is noteworthy that these militants have set up three bases near the village of Boyo, where General Sisankeri lives with his guards. He was in constant contact with MINUSCA representatives. Evidence was found that MINUSCA provided weapons and ammunition (according to available information, 2500 cartridges were delivered to the criminals) as well as continuous assistance to UPC militants.
In addition, reports quoting sources from the office of the Director-General for the Gendarmerie Nationale of CAR, Landry Urlich Depot, said that a type of Belgian assault rifle FAL belonging to Sisankeri was found in his house. It has been reported that the cartridges of the rifle were distributed by the Nepalese contingent of MINUSCA.
On 29 January 2022, a team of police, gendarmes and FACA soldiers was sent to Boyo to clarify the situation and was attacked by the terrorist stationed in the locality. The team was said to have launched a counteroffensive and, when the armed group’s members began to suffer losses, they withdrew from the locality. The wounded militants were taken away in MINUSCA vehicles, and some of the militants took refuge at the MINUSCA base in the town of Tagbara.
Following this unfortunate accident, the gendarmerie of the prefecture of Ouaka launched an investigation, conducted a testimony test on the spot, during which the militants who visited showed where their bases were located in the village of Boyo, confirmed that they had received ammunition from MINUSCA, the chiefs of the village of Boyo told about the contacts of MINUSCA with the militants and with General Sisankeri, the inhabitants of the village of Boyo spoke indignantly about the cooperation between MINUSCA and the militants.
The police and gendarmerie officers filed witness interrogation reports confirming that MINUSCA was supporting the armed militants. The directorate of the police, gendarmerie and FACA of the province of Ouaka asked for explanations from the representatives of the Nepalese contingent of MINUSCA in the village of Boyo but received no response.
It is ironic that the leader of the UPC in CAR is a Nigerian, Darassa. On home soil, the Nigerian military and the Multinational Joint Task Force—a combined multinational formation, comprising units, mostly military, from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger as well as Nigeria are battling elements from Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State – West Africa Province. The insurgents have threatened the peace in Nigeria’s North and the border towns it shares with its West African neighbours. Yet, in faraway CAR, a man (a Nigerian) named Darassa is the most dangerous man in the Central African Republic.
Ali Mohammed writes from Central Africa Republic; he can be reached via mohali200@gmail.com
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