Niger: Banibangou western Niger residents saddened, frustrated over jihadist massacres

Mourning and anger in the town of in Banibangou, western Niger after the massacre of 69 residents.

The population here is now concerned about the state of security in their town. They say they are in "turmoil" and are calling on the state authorities to come to their rescue. Some of their frustrations were shared with President Mohamed Bazoum when he paid a condelence visit to the town.

"The bandits terrorise us too much, we don't know the reasons, why there is still no peace in Banibangou, we really try to understand, we are killed again and again, we are robbed, we are tortured and we don't know for what reasons." Kallam Tinni, the traditional chief of Banibangou said at the town meeting with the President.

Habsatou Ali, a resident of the town also spoke of the disturbing situation. "Since the beginning of this insecurity, it is no longer good to live in Banibangou, there is hunger, there is thirst, we don't have peace of mind, we don't even sleep anymore, one day we tell you to be careful, we have seen columns of motorcycles, the bandits are coming to kill us, life has really become hard here, the women and children are particularly in turmoil."

"Since the beginning of this insecurity, it is no longer good to live in Banibangou, there is hunger, there is thirst, we don't have peace of mind, we don't even sleep anymore, one day we tell you to be careful, we have seen columns of motorcycles, the bandits are coming to kill us, life has really become hard here, the women and children are particularly in turmoil."

This was one of the deadliest attacks in the so-called "three borders" area, a region where the territories of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger meet without physical boundaries and where jihadist groups operate.

Nearly seventy villagers mostly members of self-defense militias were killed in the attack in the Tillabéri region, which has been the scene of deadly actions by suspected jihadists since the beginning of the year. The attack occurred Tuesday November 2 , but was not confirmed until Thursday, November 4 by the Nigerien government.

"On Tuesday, November 2, 2021, (...) the mayor of the commune of Bani Bangou, while traveling with a delegation of nationals of the said commune, was ambushed by unidentified armed bandits," the Ministry of the Interior wrote in a statement.