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Let the people have a say

Dispatch

AD1015: Burkinabè trust the police despite concerns about corruption, misconduct, and insecurity

Only one in four citizens say the government is doing a good job of reducing crime.
Baba Adou 11 Jul 2025 Burkina Faso
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According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Burkina Faso is the country most severely impacted by terrorism, with more than 1,000 terrorism-related deaths during each of the past  three years (Institute for Economics & Peace, 2025; Vision of Humanity, 2025).

Confronting deadly attacks by violent extremists and armed groups targeting both civilians and security forces (Pellerin, 2025; Africanews, 2023), counterterrorism operations in Burkina Faso have also frequently faced allegations of committing human-rights abuses (Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect, 2025). The police, military, and volunteer militias have been implicated in arbitrary arrests, abductions, disappearances, and discriminatory treatment (Amnesty International, 2025; Human Rights Watch, 2025; U.S. Department of State,
2023).

Corruption among security forces also remains a persistent concern. In high-profile incidents in 2021, for example, dozens of civilians and police officers were killed in northern Burkina Faso in clashes amid reports of food shortages and poor logistical support for security forces – problems attributed in part to corruption and mismanagement within the security sector (Transparency International, 2022). According to a 2023 report by the Réseau National de Lutte Contre la Corruption, citizens consistently rank the police among the most corrupt institutions in Burkina Faso (Le Pays, 2024).

This dispatch draws on a special survey module in Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021/2023) that explores Africans’ experiences with and assessments of police professionalism.
In Burkina Faso, survey findings reveal widespread concerns about personal safety, and only one in four citizens praised the government’s performance on reducing crime.
Perceptions of the police were mixed. Police assistance was described as easy to obtain, but large proportions of citizens who interacted with the police said they had to pay bribes to get help or avoid problems. In significant numbers, respondents also reported police misconduct, including the use of excessive force on protesters and suspected criminals.
Even so, majorities expressed trust in the police and said they generally act in a professional manner and respect citizens’ rights.

Key findings
  • As of late 2022, more than three-quarters (77%) of Burkinabè said they felt unsafe walking in their neighbourhood at least once during the year preceding the survey, while 66% feared crime in their home. o The share of citizens experiencing these forms of insecurity at least “several times” more than doubled between 2017 and 2022. o Citizens living with high levels of lived poverty were far more likely to feel unsafe than their better-off counterparts.
  • One in 10 citizens (10%) said they requested police assistance during the previous year. Five times as many (52%) encountered the police in other situations, such as at checkpoints, during identity checks or traffic stops, or during an investigation. o Among those who sought help from the police, most (77%) said it was easy to get the assistance they needed. But fully six in 10 (62%) said they had to pay a bribe, give a gift, or do a favour to receive help. o Among those who encountered the police in other situations, 48% said they had to pay a bribe to avoid problems.
  • While four in 10 citizens (39%) saw “most” or “all” police officials as corrupt, a large majority (71%) said they trust the police “somewhat” or “a lot.”
  • About three in 10 respondents said the police “often” or “always” use excessive force on protesters (32%) and suspected criminals (30%), while 26% said they frequently stop drivers without good reason and 17% said they frequently engage in criminal activity.
  • Even so, almost six in 10 citizens (58%) said the police “often” or “always” operate in a professional manner and respect all citizens’ rights.
  • But only about one-quarter (24%) of citizens said the government was doing a good job of reducing crime, a 29-percentage-point drop since 2017.