A T THE CROSSROADS OF SAHELian CONFLictS Insecurity, Terrorism, and Arms Trafficking in Niger Savannah de Tessières A publication of the Small Arms Survey/SANA project, with the support of the Netherlands Min. of Foreign Affairs, Global Affairs Canada, & the Swiss Federal Dept. of Foreign Affairs Copyright Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey © Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, 2017 First published in January 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing of the Small Arms Survey, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprograph- ics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Publications Manager, Small Arms Survey, at the address below. Small Arms Survey Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Maison de la Paix, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2E 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Series editor: Matt Johnson Copy-edited by: Deborah Eade Proofread by: Stephanie Huitson ([email protected]) Typeset in Meta by Rick Jones ([email protected]) Printed by Gonnet in France ISBN 978-2-940548-48-4 Cover photo: Boko Haram members attack Bosso military camp, Bosso, Niger, 2016. Source: Still from the video about the Bosso attack (Jihadology, 2017) 2 R eport January 2018 de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 3 About the author Savannah de Tessières is a Senior Consultant for the Small Arms Survey and the UN and has worked for more than 12 years in the international security and arms fields, includ- ing extensive field research across Africa and the MENA region. Between 2011 and 2016, she was an arms expert on the UN Panel of Experts on Libya in charge of monitoring the UN Sanctions Regime, and served as the Panel’s Coordinator 2015—16. She previ- ously worked for the Small Arms Survey in Geneva, where she designed and led large- scale research projects into conflict analysis and arms proliferation across Africa. She holds master’s degrees from La Sorbonne University in Paris and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. She has published numerous reports and articles on conflict analysis, security sector reform (SSR), international sanctions, arms trafficking, and armed actors, and is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars. de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 3 Acknowledgements The author would like to thank the Commission Nationale pour la Collecte et le Contrôle des Armes Illicites (CNCCAI) of Niger for its support, and particularly its president, General Youssoufa Mamadou Maiga. The field research benefited greatly from the contribution of the CNCCAI team and from Mr Boukari Djiberou, the Permanent Secretary of the CNCCAI, in particular. The author is grateful for the openness and cooperation of all representatives of secu- rity agencies who agreed to be interviewed, share data, and give access to the arms and ammunition they had seized. In particular, the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army and military region commanders of Agadez and Diffa, as well as the Gendarmerie Territoriale de Niamey and Gendarmerie légion commanders of Agadez and Diffa, representatives of the National Guard in Agadez, Diffa, and Niamey, and the Police Central Service for the fight against terrorism (SCLT). The author would also like to thank Vincent Foucher, Yvan Guichaoua, and Claudio Gramizzi for their thorough reviews of the final draft of this report. The author is grateful for the support of the Small Arms Survey, particularly Matt Johnson, Nicolas Florquin, and Farrah Hawana for their internal reviews, Olivia Denonville for the fact checking and Deborah Eade for copy-editing, and Stephanie Huitson for proofreading. 4 R eport January 2018 de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 5 The SANA project The Security Assessment in North Africa is a multi-year project of the Small Arms Survey to support those engaged in building a more secure environment in North Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region. The project produces timely, evidence-based research and analysis on the availability and circulation of small arms, the dynamics of emerging armed groups, and related insecurity. The research stresses the effects of the recent uprisings and armed conflicts in the region on community safety. The Security Assessment in North Africa receives core funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. In addition, the project receives ongoing support from Global Affairs Canada and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. It has previously received grants from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the German Federal Foreign Office, the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the US State Department. For more information, please visit www.smallarmssurvey.org/sana de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 5 Contents List of boxes, figures, maps, tables, and photos.................................................................. 8 Key findings ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Armed violence in Niger ............................................................................................................................. 17 Terrorism 19 Threat from Niger’s western borders: terrorist attacks in Niger from groups associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State (IS) 26 Threat from the south: attacks from Boko Haram 28 Nigeriens in Sahelian terrorist groups 29 Towards a greater understanding of relationships among jihadist groups in the Sahel 31 Community conflicts 33 Armed robbery 34 North 34 South-east 37 South-west 38 Weapons trafficking in Niger ................................................................................................................ 41 North 44 Transfers from Libya to Mali 44 Weapons ownership in the north 46 Gold rush and weapons ownership 50 South-west 50 South-east 52 6 R eport January 2018 de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 7 Materiel used by terrorist groups operating in Niger 54 Arms and ammunition used by Mali-based terrorist groups 54 Arms and ammunition used by Boko Haram 55 Armed response to insecurity .............................................................................................................. 61 Nigerien security forces 62 Regional security cooperation against terrorism threat 63 International security actors 64 Vigilante groups 67 Private security companies 68 Primary impacts of insecurity .............................................................................................................. 69 North 71 South-west 72 South-east 73 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................. 75 Annexe ...................................................................................................................................................................... 77 List of abbreviations .................................................................................................................................... 98 Endnotes .............................................................................................................................................................. 100 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................................... 106 de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 7 L ist of boxes, figures, maps, tables, and photos Boxes 1 Turkish blank-firing handguns 46 2 Analysis of illicit ammunition for small arms and machine guns documented in Niger in 2016 and 2017 52 3 Stockpile management in Niger 59 4 Operation Barkhane 65 Figures 1 Armed attacks reported to the Gendarmerie in 2014–16, by légion 35 2 Number of people injured and killed during armed robberies in Niger in 2010–16, as reported to the Gendarmerie 35 Maps 1 Niger and surrounding region 20 2 Selected ammunition found in Niger and surrounding region 37 3 Travel recommendations by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs 70 Tables 1 Major terrorist attacks in Niger, January 2015–October 2017 22 2 Number of crimes in Niamey in 2015, by type of crime 38 3 Data collated by the CNCCAI on materiel seized by/handed over to the Nigerien authorities, 2011–March 20141 42 4 Seizures of arms and ammunition by the Gendarmerie, January 2014–October 2016 43 8 R eport January 2018 de Tessières At the Crossroads of Sahelian Conflicts 9 5 Arms seized by the Nigerien Armed Forces, September 2015–October 2016 44 6 Materiel stolen from Camp Bosso 58 Photos 1 Converted Turkish blank-firing handguns seized by the Nigerien authorities in 2016 (produced between 2012 and 2014) 47 2 Assault rifles and general-purpose machine guns seized by the Gendarmerie in the Agadez region in 2015 and 2016 48 3 Weapons seized from a private collector by Nigerien authorities in 2016 51 4 Example of arms and ammunition seized from bandits and herders by the Gendarmerie in the Zinder