At least 22 villagers were shot dead by gunmen during and after a baptism ceremony in Takoubatt village, western Niger, local media and residents confirmed on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Monday in the Tillaberi region, a flashpoint of jihadist violence near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali.
A resident of the area said that the attackers struck during the ceremony, killing 15 people before moving to the outskirts of the village where seven others were gunned down.
“The attackers then went to the outskirts of Takoubatt where they killed seven other people,” the resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told AFP.
Local media outlet Elmaestro TV described the killings as a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people cowardly killed without reason or justification.”
Condemning the attack, Nigerien human rights campaigner Maikoul Zodi said on social media: “Once again, the Tillaberi region has been struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair.”
The Tillaberi region has long been plagued by jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. Despite a large military presence, Niger’s junta, in power since the 2023 coup, has struggled to contain the violence.
Around 20 soldiers were killed in the same region last week, further highlighting the security challenges.
Human Rights Watch urged Niger authorities to step up civilian protection, noting that the Islamic State group has “summarily executed” more than 127 villagers and worshippers in Tillaberi in five separate attacks since March.
Conflict-monitoring NGO ACLED reported that around 1,800 people have been killed in attacks across Niger since October 2024, with Tillaberi accounting for nearly three-quarters of the deaths.
Niger, along with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, has expelled French and American troops, insisting on a sovereignist approach to combating jihadist insurgencies.
