Breaking: Seven Chadians Kidnapped in Niger — One Dead in Boko Haram Attack

Suspected fighters from the Islamist militant group Boko Haram have abducted seven Chadian citizens in southeastern Niger, near the border with Chad, the Chadian embassy in Niamey confirmed on Friday.

According to the embassy’s statement, one of the hostages was killed during the abduction, though officials did not provide further details about the circumstances of the death.

The incident occurred on a stretch of road between N’Guigmi and Daboua, a volatile area close to the Lake Chad Basin — a region that has seen ongoing militant activity from Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Boko Haram, an extremist group originating in northeastern Nigeria, has carried out cross-border attacks across the Sahel for years and is known for deadly raids and kidnappings in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

Efforts to counter the group through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) — a coalition of regional militaries — have reduced but not eliminated such attacks. Niger withdrew from the joint force in 2025 amid political tensions, complicating coordinated security efforts.

The abductions highlight continued security challenges for countries in the Lake Chad region, where extremist violence persists despite counterinsurgency operations and international support.