Gunmen on Motorbikes Kill 22 at Baptism Ceremony in Niger Republic

At least 22 villagers have been killed by armed assailants during a baptism ceremony in western Niger Republic.

The attack took place on Monday in Takoubatt, a village in the volatile Tillaberi region, which borders Burkina Faso and Mali. The area has long been plagued by jihadist groups linked to both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Local residents told reporters that gunmen on motorbikes stormed the ceremony, killing 15 people on the spot before moving to the outskirts of the village, where they shot dead seven more.

A resident, speaking anonymously, described the killings as senseless: “Twenty-two innocent people were killed without reason or justification.”

Nigerien human rights activist Maikoul Zodi condemned the assault, writing on social media: “Once again, the Tillaberi region has been struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair.”

The Tillaberi region has seen a surge in violence over the past decade, as armed groups exploit porous borders and weak state control to launch deadly raids on rural communities.