Togolese comedian Akpaou Gros, also known as “Tayo”, is being held at the Kara Civil Prison in the northern region of Togo for allegedly criticising the government.
The comedian was arrested at his home during the night of December 30, 2025, the same day the Council of Ministers announced a presidential pardon benefiting 1,511 people.
Details of his detention only came to light after the information website L’Alternative published a story on March 3, 2026. On March 6, 2026, Grace Koumayi, an activist and former detainee, attempted to pay a visit to Akpaou at the Kara Civil Prison but was unsuccessful.
Akpaou’s arrest is believed to be linked to the content of his videos. With more than 900,000 followers on TikTok, he frequently speaks out against social injustices, poor governance, and the actions of the country’s authorities.
Akpaou was charged with “disturbing public order” and “criminal conspiracy”. After appearing before an investigating judge in Kanté, a city in the Kara region, he was subsequently placed in pre-trial detention at Kara Civil Prison.
The clemency measure, which freed over a thousand people, was framed as a humanist gesture to strengthen social cohesion and bring relief to affected families during the festive season. Yet Akpaou’s continued detention sits in tension with that aim, adding to a series of cases in Togo involving online criticism of the authorities.
The gap between that stated humanism and the detention of Akpaou raises concerns about freedom of expression in Togo. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns Akpaou’s arrest and calls on the Togolese authorities to release him immediately and safeguard his rights and freedoms as a citizen.
