Military juntas in west africa and Sahel escalate repression in 2025

West Africa and Sahel: Escalating Repression Under Military Rule

Nairobi – Military leaders across West Africa and the Sahel have tightened their grip on power in 2025, escalating repression against civil liberties while suppressing dissent, according to a new report. Human Rights Watch highlights how these regimes have systematically undermined democratic institutions, restricted freedoms, and evaded accountability for human rights violations.

In Nigeria and the Sahel region, both Islamist armed groups and government forces—along with their allies—have repeatedly targeted civilians and critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, military juntas in the Sahel have systematically expelled regional and international oversight bodies, further weakening institutions designed to hold abusers accountable.

«The military juntas in the Sahel have doubled down on suppressing freedom of expression and other fundamental rights, betraying promises of democratic transitions,» said Mausi Segun, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. «Regional leaders must take urgent action to open political space, protect citizens’ rights, and restore accountability for human rights abuses.»

Erosion of Democratic Processes in the Sahel

Governments in the region have further entrenched authoritarian rule by extending transitional periods, banning multiparty systems, and eliminating presidential term limits. Key developments include:

• Niger and Mali extended their transitional governments by five years and banned multiparty politics.
• Chad abolished presidential term limits, paving the way for indefinite leadership.
• Countries like Burkina Faso and Mali intensified crackdowns on dissent, detaining journalists, activists, and critics without due process.

Systematic Suppression of Freedoms and Accountability

Governments across West Africa and the Sahel have intensified restrictions on free speech, media, and political opposition. Recent cases include:

• Arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances of journalists and activists in Burkina Faso and Mali.
• Prosecution of social media users and journalists in Nigeria under broad cybercrime laws.
• The unlawful detention of former Niger President Mohamed Bazoum without trial.
• A 20-year prison sentence for opposition leader Succès Masra in Chad on politically motivated charges.

Surge in Violence and Erosion of Justice

The report documents a sharp rise in civilian casualties, with Islamist groups like the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) carrying out deadly attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Government forces, including pro-regime militias and the Russian-backed Africa Corps, have also been implicated in extrajudicial killings, particularly targeting the Fulani ethnic group.

In Nigeria, Boko Haram’s Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad faction has resurged in Borno State, while armed gangs in the northwest continue to perpetrate mass killings, kidnappings, and violent raids with impunity.

Governments in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have further undermined justice by withdrawing from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), leaving victims of abuses with little recourse to accountability.

Call for Regional Action

Human Rights Watch urges the African Union and other regional bodies to intensify efforts to protect civilians and uphold human rights. The report emphasizes the urgent need for coordinated regional action to counter the growing authoritarian tide and restore democratic governance in West Africa and the Sahel.