Burundian Army orders soldiers to surrender ordinary passports by February 10

The Burundian army has ordered all military personnel who hold ordinary passports to hand them over to the General Staff no later than February 10, 2026, according to an official directive seen by LionWeek.

The order was issued by the Chief of the Burundi National Defence Force (FDNB), Prime Niyongabo, in a letter addressed to heads of services, and commanders of special units. In the correspondence, the army chief clearly bans soldiers from possessing ordinary passports or any other travel document that allows crossing international borders.

“Any soldier in possession of an ordinary passport or any other document permitting border crossing must deposit it with the EMG/FDNB-G1 no later than February 10, 2026,” the letter states.

The army’s spokesperson, Colonel Gaspard Baratuza, confirmed and reminded the public of this measure during an interview with the press on Friday, January 30, 2026. He emphasized that the instruction applies to all members of the armed forces without exception.

According to military sources, the decision is part of long-standing internal regulations aimed at maintaining strict discipline within the ranks. While such measures may appear strict, observers say they underline the army’s focus on order, control, and loyalty.