The escalating conflict in Niger’s Sahel region, particularly near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, has led to a disturbing rise in child casualties and forced recruitment by armed groups, according to a recent report. These groups, including the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) and the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, are accused of committing war crimes and grave human rights violations.
devastating impact on children in Tillabéri
A 64-page report, titled “I Have Nothing Left but Myself”: The Growing Toll of Conflict on Children in the Tillabéri Region, highlights the severe consequences of the conflict on children in Niger. The document details how these armed groups have targeted schools, food reserves, and civilians, leaving a generation of children traumatized and displaced.
In the Tillabéri region, schools have been repeatedly attacked, and food supplies have been destroyed. Children who witness these horrific events often suffer long-term psychological trauma. The report also notes that women and girls face severe restrictions on their freedom, risking abduction or forced marriages to combatants.
In the Tillabéri region of Niger, an entire generation is growing up surrounded by death and destruction.
Matt Wells
“The Nigerian State and its international partners must take urgent steps to track and prevent these violations and protect the fundamental rights of all those affected by this deadly conflict, especially children,” said Matt Wells, Deputy Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International.
targeted killings and recruitment of children
The conflict has intensified since early 2021, with armed groups responsible for over 544 civilian deaths in Niger alone between January and July 2021, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Over 60 children have been killed in the Nigerian part of the tri-border area, with the EIGS allegedly responsible for most large-scale massacres.
Survivors of EIGS attacks reported that masked gunmen on motorcycles targeted men and adolescent boys. A 13- or 14-year-old boy shared, “We are used to hearing gunshots and seeing [bodies] piled up.”
I have nightmares where I’m being chased by people on motorcycles, or I see Wahab pleading with the [attackers].
A boy who witnessed the killing of his 12-year-old friend
Attacks have also targeted civilians hiding in their homes. In one instance, a woman and her young daughter were shot while hiding during a suspected EIGS attack.
The recruitment of children by armed groups, particularly the GSIM, has surged in the Torodi department near the Burkina Faso border. The group targets boys as young as 15, offering incentives like food, money, or clothing. Some recruits undergo weapons training lasting from one week to three months, while others are used as spies, scouts, or lookouts—roles that constitute active participation in hostilities under international law.
attacks on education and healthcare
Both the EIGS and GSIM oppose what they deem “Western” education, burning schools and threatening teachers. By June 2021, at least 377 schools in Tillabéri had closed, depriving over 31,000 children of education. Many schools, constructed from thatch, are easily set ablaze.
A 15-year-old boy from Mogodyougou explained, “The teachers […] left. They would have been killed [otherwise].” The closure of schools has left children with little to do, exacerbating their sense of helplessness.
Attacks on healthcare facilities have further strained the region. Armed groups have looted health centers, while government restrictions and limited humanitarian access have worsened the situation. Immunization rates have plummeted, and diseases like measles are spreading.
food insecurity and displacement
Armed groups have deliberately destroyed grain stocks, looted stores, and stolen livestock during attacks, leaving families with no means of survival. Children are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition and related illnesses.
A mother of seven recounted how EIGS fighters burned her family’s granaries during an attack on Zibane village. “Everything was burned […] I have nothing left but myself,” she said.
Satellite imagery has confirmed reports of targeted grain stock burnings, displacing tens of thousands. Humanitarian organizations warn that 2.3 million people in the region could face food insecurity due to violence, drought, and flooding.
Armed groups also extort “taxes” from local populations, often through violence. The conflict has uprooted entire villages, forcing families to flee with little more than the clothes on their backs.
psychosocial toll on children
The constant threat of violence has left deep scars on children’s mental health. Few have access to psychosocial support. Symptoms such as nightmares, sleep disturbances, fear, anxiety, and loss of appetite are widespread. Many children associate the sound of motorcycles with traumatic memories of attacks.
The Nigerian authorities and international partners must urgently equip children with the tools to build a future.
Matt Wells
A 15-year-old displaced boy pleaded, “What I want is for peace to return, really. And [the government] must care about our lives, even here [in the displacement camp] for food, water, and school. We need school.”
“The Nigerian authorities must take swift action to ensure children affected by the conflict in Tillabéri have access to education and psychosocial care,” Wells added. “Niger is on the brink. Urgent measures are needed to give these children a chance at a future.”
broader conflict in the Sahel
The conflict, which began in Mali in 2012, has spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. Armed groups vie for control of border areas, frequently clashing with the Nigerian military and forces from Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, and France.
In 2021, an estimated 13.2 million people across the Sahel required humanitarian aid, with 1.9 million displaced from their homes.
methodology
Researchers interviewed 119 individuals, including 22 children, three young adults aged 18-20, and 36 parents or other affected individuals. Interviewees also included NGO and humanitarian staff, United Nations representatives, and national officials.
