A tragic incident occurred in Mailo village, Dosso region, Niger, on Wednesday night, leaving a married couple dead after armed men stormed a local church during mass, Niger has faced escalating security challenges over the past decade as jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group continue to operate in the region.
“The attack happened in Mailo village at around 11:00 pm on Wednesday night. Christians were attending mass in the church when armed individuals came in and fired into the air. There was panic,” a local resident, who requested anonymity, said.
According to the resident, the victims—a man and his wife—tried to escape and hide in their home but were pursued and killed by the assailants. “A man and his wife ran and hid in their house but they followed them and they were killed,” he added.
Another local source explained that several churchgoers fled to neighbouring villages or sought refuge in the bush to escape the attack. The attackers reportedly also stole cattle from the area.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), nearly 2,000 people have lost their lives to armed violence in Niger this year, highlighting the growing threat posed by extremist groups in the Sahel region.
Relations between Christians and Muslims in Niger are generally peaceful. However, jihadist groups have targeted churches in western regions such as Tillaberi in the past, including attacks between 2018 and 2021, and the killing of 111 Muslim worshippers in Tillaberi earlier this year.
Okay News reports that security forces in Niger continue to work under challenging conditions to prevent such attacks, but the persistence of armed groups makes civilian protection increasingly difficult.
