On Monday, May 4, 2026, the community of Doungouro, situated within Niger’s Tillabéri region, experienced a horrific double tragedy. Following a deadly incursion by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) that claimed four civilian lives, the subsequent intervention by the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP) from the Kokorou commune devolved into a brutal massacre. These army auxiliaries, ostensibly pursuing terrorists, indiscriminately targeted anyone wearing a turban. The total casualty count reached 32 fatalities, with 28 attributed directly to these militiamen, who are ironically tasked with safeguarding local populations. This recent slaughter raises a critical question: how long will the Nigerien junta permit these “DomolLeydi” groups to operate with such impunity?
the market of death and the eigS incursion
Dawn had barely broken over Doungouro on that Monday, May 4, when the roar of motorcycles shattered the customary tranquility of the weekly market day. Heavily armed operatives from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara swiftly overran the area. Their two-fold objective was to instill terror and procure supplies. Within minutes, four innocent civilians were mercilessly gunned down as petrified vendors watched in horror. The attackers then seized all livestock present in the marketplace before retreating westward, heading towards the Malian border. This rapid assault underscores, once again, the persistent security vulnerabilities of the “three borders” region, despite triumphant declarations from Niamey’s authorities.
VDP intervention: confusion as the sole doctrine
The true nightmare for the survivors began only after the terrorists had departed. Having been alerted to the initial attack, the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie from the neighboring Kokorou commune swiftly moved towards Doungouro. However, instead of providing the anticipated protection, a wave of indiscriminate violence engulfed the village. Upon arrival, these militiamen, frequently known locally as DomolLeydi, initiated a brutal purge founded on a criterion as illogical as it was perilous: the wearing of a turban. For these armed individuals, operating with questionable oversight and minimal training, anyone displaying the traditional headwear common among local merchants and pastoralists was deemed a potential accomplice, or even a disguised terrorist.
The resulting death toll is horrifying. Among the 28 individuals who perished from VDP gunfire were numerous merchants traveling from Téra. These were familiar faces to many, regular attendees of the Doungouro market, whose sole misfortune was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, dressed in accordance with regional customs. One resident, who managed to escape the carnage, recounted that the militiamen fired upon anything that moved and wore a turban, without asking questions or seeking any form of proof. In their chilling words, it was a mass summary execution.
the domolLeydi system: a ticking time bomb
This Doungouro tragedy starkly exposes the gaping vulnerabilities within the junta’s security framework. By heavily relying on civilian militias to compensate for the regular army’s shortcomings, the authorities in Niamey have inadvertently fostered an entity they appear increasingly unable to control. The VDP, despite official recognition, frequently operate within a complete legal and operational vacuum. Lacking a rigid chain of command and consistent oversight from professional military personnel in the field, these groups routinely descend into communal excesses. In Doungouro, the evident shift towards ethnic and sartorial profiling is deeply concerning.
Since the coup d’état, official rhetoric has encouraged citizens to defend themselves. However, arming civilians without instilling in them respect for the laws of war and human rights is a formula for catastrophe. The junta, quick to condemn foreign interference, remains conspicuously silent regarding the atrocities perpetrated by its own auxiliary forces. The Doungouro massacre, regrettably, is not an isolated event. It forms part of a disturbing pattern of misconduct that steadily erodes trust between civilian populations and defense forces.
the urgent need for radical reassessment
By targeting merchants and market vendors, the VDP inadvertently exacerbate feelings of insecurity and, ironically, drive certain marginalized communities into the embrace of terrorist armed groups who then present themselves as protectors. Niger cannot hope to win this conflict by turning against its own populace. The transitional government must urgently initiate an independent inquiry into the Doungouro events and bring those responsible for the summary executions to justice.
It is imperative to re-evaluate the operational protocols for these volunteers, strictly prohibiting any operations conducted without the direct presence of regular forces. Furthermore, the systematic profiling based on ethnicity or attire, which undermines national cohesion, must cease. Should no decisive action be taken, Doungouro will endure as a grim symbol of a bloody descent where the state, through its militias, ultimately inflicts more harm on civilians than the terrorists themselves. The families of the 32 victims demand accountability. The lives lost on that dark Monday are not mere collateral damage; they are the sacrificed witnesses to a security strategy gone dangerously awry.
