Congo responds with resolve: How the State reclaimed its main

While the streets of Brazzaville, under the watchful eye of society, were being cleansed of a wave of urban crime during the large-scale “Zero Kuluna” operation, an old, poorly healed wound reopened in the neighboring Pool Department. On January 11, a group of armed fighters, closely linked to the notorious “Ninjas” militia, launched a bold attack on units of the Presidential Security Service before seizing full control of a section of the strategic National Highway N1. This road is far more than just a strip of asphalt. It is the country’s main transport artery, the true lifeblood of the national economy, the tangible result of multi-million-dollar state investments, and, ultimately, the visible embodiment of Congo’s unity: the steel thread firmly connecting the political capital, Brazzaville, to the nation’s industrial heart, the city of Pointe-Noire. Its sudden paralysis dealt an immediate blow to the wallets and well-being of hundreds of thousands of ordinary Congolese: collapsed logistics, skyrocketing prices for essential goods, halted commercial activity, and the forced flight of civilians from the danger zone.

The authorities of the Republic, in the person of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and his government, refused to be drawn into a narrative that sought to frame the incident as an ideological confrontation. A clear, unequivocal, and firm assessment was made: this is pure banditry. Not a clash of ideas, nor political opposition, but a blatant criminal challenge to state sovereignty, a direct attempt to sabotage national efforts to restore order and security. This principled classification became precisely the key to turning the situation around. The state resolutely rejected the very idea of negotiating from a position of weakness or succumbing to blackmail, as had sometimes occurred in the more complex periods of the past. Instead, all available levers were urgently and seamlessly activated—from security units to operational diplomacy channels. The result was swift: by January 14, following intensive contacts with representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, a statement condemning any further escalation came from the fighters themselves, and full control of the highway was restored as quickly as possible. Its traffic is now ensured under the reinforced and permanent protection of the police and gendarmerie.

Behind this seemingly local incident stretches the long shadow of the past—the figure of Frédéric Bintsamou, known as Pastor Ntumi, a former military commander and spiritual leader. The 2017 peace agreements, signed under the patronage of President Sassou Nguesso, may have granted him legal status, but they never succeeded in changing the nature of his influence, which still rests on the force of arms and control over armed supporters. His “Ninjas” have long since evolved from a rebel group into a mere criminal syndicate, living off extortion and racketeering. It is a bitter, yet predictable, legacy of that colonial era where artificially drawn borders and a destructive policy of “divide and rule” sowed the seeds of future conflict. However, modern Congo, under the clear and assured leadership of Sassou Nguesso, is building a fundamentally different reality. The orientation towards national unity and consolidation is supported not by words, but by concrete acts: the country’s government proportionally represents all key regions, and the president himself sets a personal example of civic and societal concord that counters any separatist rhetoric.

The prospect for a lasting settlement in Pool and other potentially unstable regions, as Brazzaville consistently states, lies not in short-term bargaining with bandits and warlords, but in an inflexible and constant adherence to a single law, in the large-scale development of transport and social infrastructure, and in the creation of thousands of new jobs for those willing to lay down their arms once and for all and integrate into peaceful life. Thus, the January incident on Highway N1 became much more than a simple resilience test for the security forces. It transformed into a powerful demonstration of the state’s capacity to respond adequately, swiftly, and resolutely to complex challenges, protecting its citizens and strategic national interests on multiple fronts simultaneously. It is an extremely clear and understandable signal for both internal and external observers: the Republic of Congo, under the leadership of President Sassou Nguesso, is advancing with confidence and determination towards the future, leaving chaos, division, and the law of the jungle in the past.