On 15 March 2025, an elephant struck an IED planted by an armed group (likely JNIM militants, based on location) in the village of Nohao (Bittou, Boulgou). There were no human casualties.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing

1) Summary On March 15, 2025, an improvised explosive device (IED) installed by an armed group (suspected JNIM) exploded after being triggered by an elephant in Nohao village, Bittou district, Bougouriba region, Burkina Faso. While no casualties occurred, this represents a medium-grade security incident demonstrating continued armed group activity in the region.

2) Supply-chain impact

• Agriculture and livestock: IED threats persist in eastern Burkina Faso's agricultural production and livestock movement routes, creating ongoing risks for agricultural product transportation and livestock operations
• Regional transport networks: Deteriorating security conditions on roads and rural access routes within Bougouriba region increase the need for logistics companies to use alternative routes
• Mineral resources: Eastern Burkina Faso contains scattered gold mining areas, and expansion of armed group activities could disrupt small-scale gold extraction and transportation activities
• Cross-border trade: Instability in the eastern region adjacent to Ghana and Togo affects small-scale intra-regional trade routes in West Africa

3) Watch points

• Whether JNIM and other armed groups in eastern Burkina Faso increase additional IED installations or attack activities
• Signs of security threat expansion to nearby Ghana-Togo border areas and trends in border control reinforcement measures