At least 27 people were killed during the night of Saturday to Sunday in the locality of Toumour, in the region of Diffa, in south-eastern Niger. According to an official of the department of Bosso, which includes this commune, the attack was perpetrated by the group Boko Haram.
In the early evening, nearly 70 armed men arrived in the commune, shooting and setting fire to thousands of houses and the central market. For years, the region of Diffa has been a regular victim of such raids by Boko Haram. The commune of Toumour was host to thousands of displaced people.
Moussa Tchangari, general secretary of the Alternative Espace Citoyen Association, and a native of the Diffa region, does not hide his anger: “This is a really large-scale attack since the attackers burned hundreds of houses, homes of fortunes of displaced persons and refugees. But there were also people who were killed. In the area, it was one of the few places where the population had decided to stay. And there were several attacks in this locality.
Unfortunately with this event, we don’t know if this resistance will continue or if it will fade away. It also shows a bit that the head of state is having a hard time ensuring security in the area».
This incident is indicative of the climate in the country on the same day of the municipal elections, according to Moussa Tchangari. “It is a serious problem, we definitely know that security will weigh heavily in the electoral process. That’s for sure!’’