Togo: Militarization and internet shutdown, a tense June 26 in Lomé

The Togolese capital, Lomé, plunged into extreme tension on June 26, 2025. Prompted by actors from the diaspora, bloggers, artists, and journalists, the city experienced unprecedented protest movements, to which the regime opposed a massive security response. Behind the scenes, a total internet blackout was imposed by the authorities in an attempt to hinder mobilization.

From the early hours of the day, Lomé was gripped by an unusual stillness. The normally bustling streets were deserted; traffic was almost absent, and most businesses had kept their doors closed. Prudence dominated among the inhabitants, many of whom remained sheltered.
All over the city, the security apparatus was imposing. Numerous police officers, gendarmes, military personnel, undercover agents occupied the main intersections – Attikoumé, GTA, Bè market, Peace Dove, Akodesséwa, Agoè. Near the presidency, the security forces locked all access points, reinforcing the feeling of a city center under total surveillance.

In the neighborhood of Tokoin-Nyekonakpoè, makeshift barricades erected overnight were quickly dismantled. Sporadic clashes broke out in places between protesters and security forces, the latter using tear gas grenades to disperse gatherings. Burned tires and a few skirmishes marked the morning, prompting many merchants to remain cautious.

Internet cut off, imposed silence

To break the momentum of the protest and disrupt mobilization, the Togolese government suspended access to the internet, both on mobile networks and fixed lines. This is a method already used during previous crises and immediately decried by the organizers and digital freedom advocates, who see it as a serious attack on freedom of expression and the right to information.

This resurgence of mobilization comes in an explosive context. Many Togolese reject the constitutional reform of May 6, 2024, which shifted the country towards a parliamentary system. For the opposition and civil society, this transformation is simply window dressing intended to maintain the power of Faure Gnassingbé, who became head of the Council of Ministers and the undisputed leader of the ruling party.
Since his ascension to the head of the state in 2005, Faure Gnassingbé has faced recurring accusations of institutional lock-down and repression of dissenting voices.