West Africa and Sahel: Military Juntas Tighten Grip with Repressive Measures
In 2025, leaders across West Africa and the Sahel intensified their crackdowns on civil liberties while consolidating power, according to a major human rights assessment. Governments in the region have systematically eroded democratic institutions, suppressed dissent, and undermined accountability mechanisms, raising alarm about the future of governance and human rights in the subregion.
The Sahel—encompassing Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and parts of neighboring states—has become a focal point of instability, where military juntas have not only failed to restore democratic rule but have actively rolled back freedoms under the guise of security and transition.
Systematic Repression of Freedoms and Democratic Institutions
Military leaders in the Sahel have intensified their suppression of free expression, assembly, and press freedom, betraying earlier pledges to restore civilian rule. Civil society activists, journalists, and political opponents face arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and forced conscription, often under vague national security laws.
« Military juntas across the Sahel have accelerated their assault on free speech and democratic norms with little regard for the promised transitions to civilian governance », said Mausi Segun, Africa Director at Human Rights Watch. « Regional and international actors must unite to demand accountability, open political space, and protect the rights of citizens in West Africa and the Sahel. »
Erosion of Democratic Safeguards
Recent developments highlight a troubling trend of democratic backsliding:
- Niger and Mali extended their military-led transitions by five years and banned multiparty politics, delaying any return to elected government.
- Chad removed presidential term limits, raising concerns about indefinite rule.
- Several countries have restricted media freedom, with journalists and critics facing arrest, prosecution, or forced exile.
- Burkina Faso and Mali have witnessed a rise in arbitrary detentions of activists and opposition figures, while Nigeria has used cybercrime laws to silence online dissent.
Meanwhile, former leaders and political opponents remain detained without trial, including Mohamed Bazoum in Niger and Succès Masra in Chad, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on politically motivated charges.
Violence and Impunity in the Sahel
Armed groups such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) have intensified attacks on civilians in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis. Government forces—including the Burkina Faso Armed Forces, pro-regime militias, and the Russian-backed Africa Corps—have been implicated in extrajudicial killings, particularly targeting the Fulani ethnic group.
In Nigeria, the resurgence of Boko Haram factions in Borno State has led to renewed violence against civilians. Meanwhile, armed bandit gangs in the northwest continue to carry out kidnappings, raids, and mass killings, exploiting weak governance and a lack of accountability.
Withdrawal from Regional and International Bodies
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have moved to formalize their exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and announced plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). These actions threaten to isolate victims of human rights abuses from international justice mechanisms and undermine regional stability.
Human rights organizations are calling on the African Union and regional bodies to take urgent action to protect civilians and uphold human rights standards across the Sahel and West Africa.
