Gunmen on Motorbike Kill 22 at Baptism Ceremony in Niger amid Rising Violence

Niamey, 17 September, 2025 / 10:51 PM

Gunmen on motorbikes have reportedly shot dead at least 22 people participating in a baptism ceremony in an attack on a village in western Niger.

Multiple media reports indicate that the Monday, September 15 attack happened in the Tillaberi region near Burkina Faso and Mali, where jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS) are active.

In a Wednesday, September 17 BBC News report, a resident has been quoted as telling the French news agency, AFP, that the attackers killed 15 people at the baptism ceremony in Tillabéri region that borders Burkina Faso and Mali before moving on and killing seven others.

"While people celebrated a baptism ceremony, gunmen opened fire, sowing death and terror," local civil rights activist, Maikoul Zodi, says in a Tuesday, September 16 Facebook post.

Mr.Zodi observes, “Once more, the Tillabéri region, in the department of Ouallam, village of Takoubatt, has been struck by barbarity, plunging innocent families into grief and desolation. As villagers gathered to celebrate a baptism ceremony, armed men opened fire, sowing death and terror,”

He adds, “As a civil society actor, I bow before the memory of the victims and express my full solidarity with the bereaved families and the community of Takoubatt.”

The civil rights activist goes on to question why civilians were still being exposed to such insecurity and urges the government to prioritize the safety and dignity of citizens.

“The security and dignity of citizens must be an absolute priority,” he appeals, and continues, “It is time to provide concrete answers, to strengthen the presence of the State in vulnerable areas, and to show that every Nigerien life matters.”

Niger’s authorities have acknowledged an attack in the area but have yet to release any casualty figures.

Jihadist violence in Niger continues to escalate, with rights groups and local voices denouncing the failure of authorities to protect civilians more than a year after the military seized power, according to the September 17 BBC report.

The report further indicates that the mounting insecurity was highlighted again on September 10 when 14 Nigerien soldiers were killed in an ambush in the Tillabéri region.

In its weekly bulletin, the army said the troops had been deployed after reports of a cattle theft but were instead trapped in what it described as “an ambush.”

Casualty figures are difficult to independently verify due to restricted access to conflict zones and fears of reprisals among witnesses.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported that armed groups have stepped up attacks since March, killing at least 127 villagers and Muslim worshippers; homes have been looted and burned down.

The watchdog accused Nigerien authorities of ignoring villagers’ pleas for help and failing to respond to repeated warnings of impending raids.

Niger has been under military control since General Abdourahmane Tchiani ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, pledging to restore security. Yet, the violence has persisted.

A newly formed pro-democracy coalition in Niger denounced what it calls the failure of the ruling military authorities to address the country’s worsening insecurity, following the September 10 deadly attacks.

The coalition, Cadre de Lutte contre les Dérives du Niger (CDN), Forum for Combating Abuses in Niger, was officially launched on September 12, bringing together civil society leaders, journalists, jurists, and researchers committed to resisting the current regime.

In its first statement, the group demanded the organization of free and transparent elections, the reinstatement of political parties and unions dissolved by the junta, and the release of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum alongside all other political prisoners.