The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cautioned members of the Tijjaniya Muslim Movement of Ghana planning to travel by road to Senegal for pilgrimage to reconsider their plans, citing security concerns along some major routes leading to Dakar.
The Ministry advised prospective pilgrims to travel by air, describing it as the safest and most secure option in view of emerging security threats along some of the road corridors.
In a travel advisory issued on August 21, 2026, and copied to The Ghanaian Times on Friday, the Ministry said although Senegal remained safe for travellers, security concerns along certain road corridors had increased the risks associated with long-distance journeys to the country.
“The Ministry wishes to inform that while Senegal remains safe for travellers, concerns have arisen regarding security situations along certain road corridors leading to Dakar, particularly for persons undertaking long distance journeys by road,” the advisory stated.
It urged prospective pilgrims to take the prevailing security situation into consideration when making their travel arrangements.
The Ministry recommended air travel as “the most preferred, safe and secure means of transportation” for the pilgrimage and appealed to those who had already made arrangements to travel by road to reconsider and opt for air travel.
The advisory comes against the backdrop of worsening security conditions along some West African overland routes linking landlocked countries to Senegal.
The Ministry said the security situation had affected major transport corridors in the region, with attacks on transport convoys spreading to routes previously considered relatively safe.
It cited developments along the Bamako-Dakar corridor, where about 4,000 empty containers were reportedly stranded in Bamako by February 2026 after truck drivers became reluctant to undertake the return journey to Dakar.
By June, it said, Mali’s military was escorting nearly 1,000 trucks a week to keep essential supplies moving to Bamako.
The Ministry also cited attacks on transport convoys along the Conakry-Bamako route as further evidence that insecurity was affecting several road networks in the sub-region.
The developments have heightened concerns about the safety of travellers undertaking long-distance road journeys through parts of the Sahel and neighbouring countries.
Ghanaians have also been affected by the deteriorating security situation in the sub-region.
In February 2026, eight Ghanaian traders were killed in a jihadist attack in Titao, northern Burkina Faso, prompting the government to tighten travel guidance for Ghanaians travelling to high-risk areas in the sub-region.
Following the incident, Ghanaian missions in affected areas were placed on high consular alert as the government stepped up measures to protect Ghanaian nationals travelling or residing in parts of the region.
The Ministry said it would continue to monitor developments in coordination with international partners and relevant authorities.
It emphasised its commitment to the safety and security of Ghanaian nationals travelling abroad and urged prospective pilgrims to exercise caution and follow official travel advisories.
The Tijjaniya movement, one of the prominent Sufi Muslim orders in West Africa, attracts thousands of pilgrims from across the sub-region to Senegal for religious gatherings and pilgrimage activities.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
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