JNIM ambush kills gendarmerie Commander, two others in Niger Republic

 By: Zagazola Makama 

At least three security personnel, including a senior gendarmerie officer, have been killed in an ambush by suspected jihadist fighters along the River Niger in Say, Niger Republic.

Security sources said the attack, believed to have been carried out by the Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), occurred on Wednesday evening during a routine intelligence mission.

The victims were identified as Captain Maman Ada Sahabi, commander of the Say gendarmerie group, and two of his personnel.

According to the sources, the team was on a river patrol near Say town, a strategic border community, when armed assailants opened fire on their boat from the riverbanks at about 5 p.m.

“The attackers ambushed the team while they were conducting an intelligence verification operation coinciding with the local market day.

“They fired at the boat from concealed positions along the riverbank, killing at least three officers instantly,” a source said.

Reports indicated that the body of the commander remained on the boat, which was left drifting on the river, while the bodies of the other two personnel were swept away by the current.

Security operatives were said to have been unable to immediately recover the remains due to fears of possible improvised explosive devices and the risk of a secondary ambush in the area.

Captain Sahabi was described as an experienced officer who had led the Say gendarmerie formation for over five years, playing a key role in counterterrorism operations in the volatile border region.

The incident has raised concerns among local residents and security observers, particularly over delays in the recovery of the victims’ bodies, amid fears of persistent threats in the area.

Say, located along the River Niger, remains a hotspot for militant activity due to its proximity to volatile border zones where armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda operate.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the attack as of the time of filing this report.