The Togolese government has accused foreign-based actors of orchestrating a targeted disinformation campaign that sparked violent protests across several neighborhoods in the capital, Lomé, from June 26 to 28. In an official statement issued on Sunday, authorities alleged that the unrest was deliberately instigated through social media networks and local civil society groups opposed to recent constitutional changes. These reforms restructured the executive branch and granted President Faure Gnassingbé a powerful new role as President of the Council of Ministers — a position with no term limits and broad governing authority.
The government framed the protests as part of a foreign-coordinated effort to “destabilize public order and republican institutions,” noting that individuals abroad had encouraged civil disobedience through digital channels. Security forces responded with force, dispersing demonstrators and arresting several suspects, including individuals identified as foreign nationals who allegedly entered the country illegally. Authorities said community cooperation aided in tracking and containing the unrest. In addition to launching legal proceedings against those detained, the government has requested international cooperation to identify and prosecute those believed to be coordinating the campaign from outside Togo.
The statement also dismissed public speculation linking recent drownings in Lomé to the protests, asserting that autopsies confirmed no connection between the incidents. Despite growing concerns from international rights groups about shrinking civic space, the government reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, political pluralism, and national unity amid mounting opposition to what critics have labeled a “constitutional coup.” The unrest marks the latest flashpoint in Togo’s political landscape, where protests are rare and tightly controlled under longstanding restrictions on public assembly since 2022.
