Nigerien customs officials seized a large shipment of explosives on Monday, likely destined for criminal syndicates, amid a security situation marked by the jihadist threat plaguing the country and its neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Niamey-Route Customs Office intercepted 8,567 sticks of dynamite concealed within imported goods, according to the Nigerien Customs Directorate General. This is the second major seizure made by the same agency since the beginning of 2025.
The operation, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Fatimata Salifou Marafa, head of the office, prevented these explosives, whose circulation is strictly regulated, from being diverted to armed or criminal groups.
Like Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger faces repeated attacks from jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
This persistent insecurity was a key factor in the coup d’Etat of July 26, 2023, which brought General Abdourahamane Tiani to power. The three countries have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to coordinate their response to terrorist groups.
During the presentation of the seizure, Colonel Rabiou Gouzaye, Director of Customs Investigations, Intelligence, and Risk Analysis (DEDRAR), representing the Director General, commended the officers’ professionalism. He emphasised the crucial role of the customs administration in combating the trafficking of illicit goods within the AES region.
Colonel Gouzaye reaffirmed the support of his superiors and called on customs officers to be extra vigilant during control operations in order to curb fraud and the trafficking of dangerous goods that could fuel insecurity in the region.
AC/Sf/fss/as/APA