JNIM directly threatens Niamey residents in Zarma video

Insecurity continues to edge perilously toward the Nigerien capital. On 26 June 2026, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM) released a video in the Zarma language in which its spokesman, Abdulmajid al-Ansari, delivered a deeply alarming message to the people of Niamey.

In the statement, the group claims it does not target civilians. However, it accuses a portion of the population of having cooperated with the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) during the attack on Niamey airport on 18 June 2026. Based on this allegation, the movement explicitly threatens residents who move near the outskirts of the capital, while asserting its ability to strike within Niamey itself. The group further announces that the operations already carried out are merely a prelude to actions it describes as “far more significant.”

This address marks a troubling evolution in the group’s communications. By equating civilians with presumed military supporters, JNIM fosters an ambiguity likely to heighten fear among the population. Even when an armed group states it does not target civilians, simply labelling them as potential collaborators greatly increases their exposure to violence and intimidation.

These statements come at a time when attacks have multiplied in Niger over recent years, despite shifts in security strategy and the strengthening of military partnerships. They also illustrate the jihadist groups’ determination to exert psychological pressure on the population by spreading messages designed to sow fear, undermine trust in the authorities, and restrict movement in certain areas.

Beyond their military implications, these threats constitute an instrument of psychological warfare. Their aim is to establish a permanent climate of insecurity, discourage any cooperation between citizens and security forces, and demonstrate that armed groups seek to extend their influence to the very gates of the capital. Faced with this type of communication, the authorities’ challenge is as much security-related as informational: protecting the population while preventing armed-group propaganda from amplifying the very fear it intends to provoke.