By Adam Mosadioluwa

Copyright tribuneonlineng

The attack took place on Monday in the Tillaberi region, which borders Burkina Faso and Mali, an area where jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS) are active.

A resident told AFP that 15 people were first killed at the baptism ceremony in Takoubatt village.

Gunmen on motorbikes killed at least 22 villagers in western Niger Republic during a baptism ceremony, local media and other sources said Tuesday.

“The attackers then went to the outskirts of Takoubatt where they killed seven other people,” said the resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons.

Local media outlet Elmaestro TV reported a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people cowardly killed without reason or justification”.

“Once again, the Tillaberi region has been struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair,” Nigerien human rights campaigner Maikoul Zodi said on social media.

Niger’s military leaders, who seized power in a coup two years ago, have struggled to contain jihadist violence in Tillaberi, despite a heavy army presence. About 20 soldiers were killed in the region last week.

Human Rights Watch has called on authorities to “do more to protect” civilians from such deadly attacks.

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The group says the Islamic State has “summarily executed” more than 127 villagers and Muslim worshippers in Tillaberi in five attacks since March.

The NGO ACLED, which tracks conflict casualties worldwide, reports that around 1,800 people have been killed in Niger since October 2024, with three-quarters of those deaths in Tillaberi.

Niger, along with its neighbours Burkina Faso and Mali, is under military rule. The three countries, which say they are pursuing a sovereignist policy, have expelled French and American forces that had been supporting them against jihadist groups.

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