Niger activist jailed amid mounting tensions with military rule
Activist Nassirou Bodo has been remanded in custody at the Niamey detention center following his presentation to prosecutors, marking another escalation in the crackdown on dissent under Niger’s current leadership.
Kaka Touda, a prominent civil society member, publicly confirmed the detention on social media but did not disclose the specific charges levied against Mr. Bodo, whose arrest followed a period of police custody.
Local press reports indicate that the activist faces allegations of « disseminating information likely to disrupt public order », a charge increasingly used against critics of the regime. Earlier this week, Bodo had urged Nigeriens to launch sustained « protest actions and demonstrations against state-imposed social violence », calling for a year-long campaign beginning June 1st.
Among the grievances he highlighted were persistent « insecurity in multiple regions » and ongoing « unjust forced evictions », particularly affecting residents near Niamey’s airport—a site targeted in a January 29 attack claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS). Authorities defend the demolitions of allegedly « illegally constructed » homes as necessary to mitigate « terrorist threats » in the capital.
The arrest comes amid a broader pattern of repression targeting journalists and civil society figures since the military takeover in July 2023. Dozens have faced detention or prosecution on charges ranging from defamation to national security violations and conspiring against state authority.
United Nations records show 13 journalists were detained in Niger during 2025, with three—including a correspondent for Deutsche Welle—released in early May after months behind bars. Five journalists remain imprisoned, according to local press freedom monitors.
Civil rights advocate Moussa Tchangari, a vocal critic of the junta, has been held since December 2024 on accusations including « glorifying terrorism and undermining state security ».
