Gunmen riding motorcycles have killed at least 22 people in western Niger, most of them gathered for a baptism ceremony, according to local reports.
A resident told AFP that the attackers struck during the ceremony in the Tillaberi region—near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso—where they shot dead 15 people before moving to another location and killing seven more.
“While people celebrated a baptism ceremony, gunmen opened fire, sowing death and terror,” local civil rights activist Maikoul Zodi wrote on social media.
The AFP also cited Elmaestro TV, which reported a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people cowardly killed without reason or justification.”
The Tillaberi region has been at the epicentre of jihadist violence linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates. Despite military efforts, Niger’s junta has struggled to curb attacks that have devastated villages and displaced thousands.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported last week that armed groups have intensified their assaults since March, killing more than 127 villagers and worshippers, looting homes, and setting them ablaze. The organisation accused Nigerien authorities of ignoring repeated warnings of attacks and failing to respond to villagers’ calls for help.
On Tuesday, Zodi criticised the government’s handling of security, questioning why civilians remain vulnerable.
“It is time for concrete answers, strengthen state presence in vulnerable areas, and show that every Nigerien life matters,” he posted on Facebook.
Niger has been under military rule since July 2023, when Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum. Its neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, are also governed by military juntas facing similar insurgencies.
The three countries have expelled French and U.S. forces that were heavily engaged in counterterrorism operations in the Sahel, instead forging closer ties with Russia and Turkey. However, despite the new security alliances, the violence has persisted.
