Nigerien activist Nassiro Bodo was placed under pretrial detention Wednesday at Niamey’s main prison, just days after publicly condemning the military regime’s policies.

Local media outlet Aïr Info confirmed that Bodo was remanded in custody “after being brought before the prosecutor’s office.”

Civil society leader Kaka Touda also verified the detention on Facebook, though no further details about the arrest or its legal basis were disclosed. The activist was held in police custody before appearing in court.

Nassiro Bodo urged Nigeriens to protest state violence for one year

The private daily L’Enquêteur reported Thursday that Bodo is being prosecuted for “disseminating information likely to disturb public order.”

In an early-week Facebook post, Bodo called on Nigeriens to organize “protests and acts of disapproval against the state’s social violence,” including “unjust evictions” and “rising insecurity in multiple regions.” The campaign, he stated, would last “one year, renewable starting June 1st.”

The evictions in question refer to the ongoing demolition of homes near Niamey’s international airport, targeted in a January 29 attack claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISIS). Authorities claim the demolitions are necessary to “mitigate terrorist threats.”

Since the military seized power in July 2023, Niger has witnessed a surge in arrests of journalists and civil society members. Many face charges including defamation, national security violations, and conspiracy against state authority.

According to United Nations records, 13 journalists were detained in Niger in 2025. Three—including a Deutsche Welle correspondent—were released in early May after months behind bars, while five remain imprisoned, local press freedom groups report.

Among those still held is Moussa Tchangari, a prominent civil society voice arrested in December 2024 on charges of “apology for terrorism” and “undermining state security.”