By Palang Paul
Gunmen riding motorbikes stormed a baptism ceremony in western Niger, killing 22 villagers in a brutal attack that has shocked the nation.
The assault took place on Monday 15th September 2025 in Takoubatt village, Tillaberi region, near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali,an area long plagued by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaida and the Islamic State (IS).
A local resident told Agence France-Presse(French International News Agency)AFP that 15 people were shot dead during the baptism, before the attackers moved to the village outskirts where they killed seven more. Most of the victims were Christians who had gathered to be baptised. The Nigeria Times learned.
This gruesome massacre claimed 22 innocent lives. Their only ‘crime’ was choosing to give their lives to Jesus Christ and be baptised as new creations in Him.
Human rights campaigner Maikoul Zodi condemned the killings, writing on social media: “Once again, the Tillaberi region has been struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair.”
The military junta, which seized power two years ago in Niger has struggled to contain the wave of jihadist violence despite a heavy army presence. Just last week, around 20 soldiers were killed in the same region.
Human Rights Watch has urged authorities to step up protection for civilians, noting that IS-linked militants have summarily executed at least 127 villagers across five attacks since March.
According to NGO ACLED, a global conflict-tracking group, more than 1,800 people have been killed in Niger since October 2024, three-quarters of them in the embattled Tillaberi region.
Niger, alongside Burkina Faso and Mali, is now ruled by military juntas that expelled French and American forces previously aiding the fight against jihadist insurgencies.
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