Activist detained in Niger after protest call faces jail time

Nassirou Bodo has been remanded in custody at the Niamey prison following his presentation to the prosecutor’s office, authorities confirmed late Wednesday.

Civil society leader Kaka Touda corroborated the detention on Facebook but did not disclose the specific charges or reasons behind the arrest, which followed a police custody period.

The private newspaper L’Enquêteur reported Thursday that the activist—known for his vocal criticism of the transitional government—is being prosecuted for “disseminating information likely to disrupt public order.”

In a Facebook post earlier this week, Bodo urged Nigeriens to launch sustained “protest actions and outright rejection of state-imposed social violence” for “a renewable one-year period starting June 1.”

Among the alleged forms of state violence he cited were “rising insecurity in multiple regions” and the “unjust evictions” currently underway, including those affecting residents near Niamey’s airport. The demolitions, justified by authorities as measures to “mitigate terrorist threats,” were triggered by an attack on January 29 claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS).

Since the military takeover in July 2023, Niger has witnessed a surge in arrests targeting journalists and civil society figures. Many have faced charges including defamation, national security breaches, and conspiracy against state authority.

Local press watchdogs report that 13 journalists were detained in 2025, with three—including a correspondent for Deutsche Welle—released in early May after months behind bars. Five others remain incarcerated.

Among the most prominent detainees is Moussa Tchangari, a civil society icon and persistent critic of the junta, held since December 2024 on accusations of “terrorism glorification and endangering state security.”