Activist Nassirou Bodo has been remanded in custody at Niamey’s central prison after appearing before prosecutors, local sources confirmed late Wednesday. The move follows a period of police custody as authorities escalate measures against critics of the transitional regime.

Civil society leader Kaka Touda took to social media to acknowledge Bodo’s detention without elaborating on the specific charges, which stem from an initial police investigation. Meanwhile, the private newspaper L’Enquêteur reported that the activist faces allegations of ‘disseminating information likely to disrupt public order.’

Days before his arrest, Bodo had issued a public call on Facebook urging Nigeriens to launch a year-long campaign of protests starting June 1st, condemning what he described as systemic state violence against citizens. In his statement, he highlighted issues including deteriorating security in multiple regions and the forced evictions of families living near Niamey’s airport—a site targeted in a January 29 attack claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS).

Government authorities defend the demolitions of allegedly illegal structures as necessary to mitigate ‘terrorism-related risks,’ though critics argue the measures disproportionately target vulnerable communities.

Since the military takeover in July 2023, Niger has seen a surge in detentions of journalists and civil society figures, often on charges of defamation, national security breaches, or plotting against state authority. In 2025 alone, the United Nations documented 13 arrests of media workers, with three—including a correspondent for Deutsche Welle—released in early May after months behind bars. Five journalists remain imprisoned, according to local press watchdogs.

Among those still held is Moussa Tchangari, a prominent civil society voice and outspoken critic of the junta, detained since December 2024 on accusations of ‘terrorism glorification and endangering state security.’