Following the addition of the westernmost lands to the Alááshu, Tozàn began constructing defences like Akávò Okáfòre had done in Kárámandougou. Alongside improvements to his impromptu, improvised castle there would be four more major forts constructed in the western border lands. Constructed during the end of Alááfin Zùlema's reign, they were known simply as the "Uge Bámagoun fa Zùlema" or the Western Fortifications of Zùlema. Map of all forts.

Kona Kìsara (Rock Castle)

Kona Kìsara was the northernmost of the fortifications. It was constructed west of Dembàkte to defend it against attacks from the west and to control the Ilesi River. It was build from rocks mined in the harsh rocky outcrops to the north of the castle.

It was a large fort, capable of housing four thousand soldiers. It had a road connection from Dembàkte and could also be reached by the Ilesi River. Kona Kìsara was centered around a large stone keep built directly on the Ilesi. Across the river from the stone keep was a tower across which a boom could be spun to block any ships traversing the river. The stone keep had a large curtain wall extending to the east and west, intercepted by towers. There were three large towers facing the west, two facing the north and one facing the east. Battlements lined the walls. There was an underground pipeline connected to the river to provide fresh water inside the castle. Everything was constructed from ashlar cut stone slabs gathered from the north and the castle received food supplies from the south and east across the river on regular basis. Kona Kìsara had a gate in the east, and the north, both protected by gatehouses, but generally only the eastern gate was used.

The location was very strategic (around Niafunke). To the north was a sandy, marshy plain, blocked between the rocky hills and Kona Kìsara. Any army that wanted to pass through the plain would have to face the castle. Any army that wanted to go through the rocky hills or even further north would be unable to supply itself with water because of the castle.

To the south, there were even bigger marshy sand plains. It would require an army to cross the Ilesi and then supply itself across the river as well, all the while crossing what was essentially a marsh. Meanwhile, the holders of Kona Kìsara controlled the river and could easily cut off their foe's supply lines, leaving the enemy stranded.

Erótozo Kìsara (Castle Between Rivers)

Erótozo Kìsara was the second northern fortification. It was constructed west of Seware to defend against western incursions. To the north, south and east, Seware was protected by the Souni and Ilesi rivers. The city was an important centre of adminstration and trade, so it deserved to be well-protected. Erótozo Kìsara was built strategically between the two rivers (around Tongue) and it was the centrepiece of a long, two metre tall wall that was constructed between the Ilesi and Souni rivers.

The castle featured a stone keep at the centre and a surrounding wall not connected to the keep which extended a little bit west and a little bit east, but mostly north and south, serving as a part of the interriver wall. However, the castle's walls were taller than two metres, generally reaching six metres tall. The west side had four towers with extensive battlements, constructed like the rest of the castle from mudbrick reinforced with wood in the style of sudano-sahelian architecture. The outcroppings of beams were (unlike the picture) sawed off to prevent foes from climbing the walls with ease. There were two gates, one in the west and one in the east, both protected by a strong gatehouse. The road that passed through the gates was a busy highway, but they were closed at night.

Kárámándougou Kìsara (Castle Kárámándougou)

Kárámándougou Kìsara was the middle fortress, constructed in Kárámándougou on the Souni River. It consisted of a curtain wall with towers surrounding Kárámándougou, but excluding its riverine port, with a strong keep as the centrepiece on the southeastern side of the town. It was made from mudbrick and featured over twelve towers, though they were not as tactically built as they were only made because there was too much material and labour for Okáfòre to work with when the general had decided to fortify the town and conscript all the locals in working on it. Just like in Kona Kìsara, the fortifications featured several pipelines connecting the Souni river to underground wells, which serviced the city in war and in peace. It had a strong gatehouse surrounded by two towers next to the keep.

Bagoé Kìsara (Castle Bagoé)

Bagoé Kìsara was constructed between Kárámándougou and Zágásina for two reasons. It had to pacify the rural region, which was quite far from the adminstrative centres in Kárámándougou and Gariká, and it had to serve as a deterrent for western foes to attack through "the western gap" between the Ilesi river and the southern jungles. This gap lacked development such as highways, especially around Bagoé, but could be traversed by a determined army. However, not with Bagoé Kìsara in place.

It was made from imported stone and featured an enclosed wall between a bend in the Bagoé river. Featuring six towers and no keep, it was a rather barebones fort but it had enough space to house an army on the march. Around the castle a small town eventually grew with artisans and craftsmen, because the area was quite fertile and there were no surrounding cities. Permanent barracks would eventually be constructed inside. It had one gate, in the the northeastern wall.

Zágásina Kìsara (Castle Zágásina)

Zágásina was a town in the west of Tòròkìgù, a province adminstrated from Gariká, which lay to the east, but Zágásina was a strategic point on the border of Tozàn on a highway that ran directly to Uwára, the capital. Because an invading army could use this road to go towards the capital and the valuable Soyofàn where silk and gold came from, its defence was important.

Near Zágásina was a hill, roughly 150 metres taller than its surroundings (Mont Korhogo). The highway went past this hill and on top of it, a large keep was constructed with only one stairway leading the way down. It allowed for just one man to stop an entire force at certain points, since the hill was very steep. On the lower end of the slopes, a curtain wall surrounded the hill, rising ten metres above the surrounding area and featuring towers connected to higher parts of the hill by bridges that could be cut off and destroyed in minutes.

All of Zágásina also received a lower wall, linking the town with the hill fortress. The whole fortification only had two gates, to let the highway in and to let it out. The place was also used to collect tolls. For water supply, Zágásina Kìsara received internal reservoirs that could last for weeks if not months and local streams were diverted in the town's direction. An additional aquaduct was also built from the Bandama river a bit to the east, supplying the reservoirs indefinitely.