Activist Nassirou Bodo was remanded in custody at Niamey’s central prison on Wednesday evening following his arraignment at the prosecutor’s office, local sources confirmed. The online outlet Aïr Info first reported the detention, though no official statement has been issued regarding the charges.
Civil society leader Kaka Touda echoed the news on social media, sharing Bodo’s incarceration details without elaborating on the grounds for the arrest, which followed a police interrogation period. Meanwhile, the private newspaper L’Enquêteur alleged that the activist faces prosecution for «spreading information likely to disrupt public order».
Calls for sustained civil disobedience spark legal action
On Monday, Bodo had urged Nigeriens to launch a year-long campaign of protests and civil disobedience to reject what he described as systemic state violence against citizens. In his statement, he highlighted ongoing issues such as the persistent insecurity in several regions and the forced evictions linked to the January 29 airport expansion project in Niamey—an area targeted in an Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) attack.
Government authorities justified the demolitions of «illegally constructed» homes as a counterterrorism measure to safeguard the capital from potential threats. Bodo’s public condemnation of these policies appears to have drawn judicial retaliation, according to observers tracking the case.
Crackdown on dissent escalates under military rule
The West African nation has faced persistent jihadist violence from groups aligned with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for years. Since the military takeover in July 2023, however, authorities have intensified measures targeting journalists, civil society figures, and critics of the regime. Arrests, detentions, and convictions have been documented for charges including defamation, national security violations, and conspiracy against state authority.
United Nations records indicate that 13 journalists were detained in Niger during 2025. By early May, three—including a correspondent for Deutsche Welle—were released after months behind bars, while five remain imprisoned, according to local press freedom groups.
Among those still held is Moussa Tchangari, a prominent civil society voice and longtime critic of the junta. He has been incarcerated since December 2024 on accusations of «terrorism glorification and undermining state security».