At least six young farmers from the Kel Tamerkest community in Niger’s Maradi Region were reportedly executed by Burkinabe security forces on the Niger-Burkina Faso border.
The victims, identified as Hamed Ousmane Rhissa, Ghadou Ag Ouka, Ahmadou Ag Issa, Mossa, Abdoulaye, Ibrahim Ag Alhadi, and Bahas Ag Hama, were cattle traders known to have regularly engaged in their trade between the two neighboring countries.
According to security analyst and counter-insurgency expert in lake Chad region and west Africa Zagazola Makama, the gruesome act occurred near the border area of Seytanga, within the administrative jurisdiction of Dori, Burkina Faso.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: At Least 15 Civilians Killed in Attack on Church in Burkina Faso
According to a communication from the Head of the Kel Tamerkest Group, Elhadji Hama Haroune, the killings were committed by elements of the Burkinabe Forces de Défense et de Sécurité (FDS) while accompanying a convoy of buses traveling along the Ouagadougou – Niger border route.
The victims were allegedly shot in a summary execution by the security forces.
The news of the deaths was met with deep sorrow and condemnation by the Kel Tamerkest community, which is now demanding justice for the victims.
“We condemn this heinous act in the strongest terms. These were innocent young men known for their honest work, and their brutal killing is a senseless loss,” said Elhadji Hama in a statement made public on January 29, 2025.
The community is calling on both the Burkinabe and Nigerien authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the incident and bring those responsible to justice. “We expect the competent authorities to act swiftly in order to ensure accountability for these murders,” the statement continued.