The financial and oil sectors in Mali have been paralyzed by a 72-hour strike in protest of the arrest of trade unionist Hamadoun Bah.

Bah, the secretary general of the National Union of Insurance, Banks and Financial Establishments and Commerce of Mali (Synabef) and deputy secretary general of the National Union of Workers of Mali (UNTM), was arrested on Wednesday for “forgery and use of forgery” and other charges.

The strike, which began on Thursday, has affected banks and gas stations across the country, with many businesses closing their doors in solidarity with Bah.

The strike was called by Synabef to protest Bah’s arrest and detention, which they claim is a result of a political vendetta against him.
WADR’s Etsey Atisu has the details