Wagner’s forceful detention of humanitarian Joseph Figueira in the Central African Republic

As evening descended on Zemio this Sunday, May 26, 2024, a farewell gathering was underway in the courtyard of a local bar-restaurant within the Haut-Mbomou sub-prefecture. This region, known for its persistent community conflicts, was the backdrop for a seemingly innocuous event. Joseph Figueira, a Belgian-Portuguese researcher and humanitarian, alongside his Ivorian colleague based in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, was hosting refreshments for approximately fifty local contacts. Figueira was on a field mission, mandated by the American NGO FHI 360, as part of a project call from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Their plan was to return to Bangui the following day, after spending 48 hours on site.

However, the convivial atmosphere was abruptly shattered. Three men from the Wagner Group, a paramilitary force that has supported national authorities since 2018, stormed the gathering. They were accompanied by a Central African gendarme, who served as their translator. Without delay, they seized Joseph Figueira.

The humanitarian had no opportunity to retrieve his identification documents from the NGO premises where he was staying. He was immediately taken to the aerodrome, his wrists bound with handcuffs, and locked away. A recognized specialist in the Peul communities, Figueira was operating entirely within legal bounds. He had been in the Central African Republic for nine days, engaging with numerous officials in both the capital and the provinces to prepare for a future local conflict prevention initiative, in collaboration with various local and international organizations.

Despite his impeccable legal standing, the Wagner operatives proceeded to abduct him. Hooded and subjected to blows, Figueira was forced onto an aircraft, his nose bleeding, in an act carried out entirely outside any legal framework.