Chad’s former Prime Minister and opposition leader, Succès Masra, has been arrested over alleged involvement in deadly violence that erupted in Logone Occidental province on Wednesday. At least 42 people were killed in what may have stemmed from a land dispute between farmers and herders.
According to Public Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, Masra is accused of spreading inciting messages on social media that may have fueled the clashes. He said posts were shared urging people to arm themselves against fellow citizens.
Masra’s Transformers party strongly condemned his detention, claiming he was “kidnapped” by military officers without due legal process.
Masra, a vocal critic of President Mahamat Déby, contested the 2024 presidential election and claimed the results were rigged, despite official results showing Déby won with 61% of the vote.
The recent violence occurred in the village of Mandakao, near the Cameroonian border, and reflects a recurring conflict between Ngambaye farmers and Fulani herders—the farmers accusing herders of letting animals graze on their lands.
Over 80 others have also been arrested in connection with the unrest.
Masra briefly served as interim prime minister from January to May 2024, but his party later boycotted the December legislative elections, citing concerns over electoral transparency.
The Déby family has ruled Chad for over 30 years, with Mahamat Déby taking power after his father Idriss Déby Itno was killed by rebels in 2021.
