Rights activist raises fresh alarm over prolonged protest, rights concerns in Agadez

A member of Refugees in Niger, Yousef Ismail, has raised fresh concerns over the prolonged humanitarian situation facing refugees at the Agadez humanitarian camp in Niger, saying their peaceful protest has continued for more than a year and remains unresolved.

In a series of posts, Ismail said refugees at the camp had been demonstrating peacefully for 703 days, demanding greater protection, recognition of their rights and access to international protection.

“International protection is our priority,” Ismail said, while calling on the international community and human rights organisations to intervene.

He described the situation at the Agadez camp as increasingly dire and accused humanitarian organisations and the international community of failing to adequately respond to the needs of refugees who, according to him, fled their homes in search of safety and a new life.

Ismail urged international and human rights organisations to visit the camp and assess the situation directly.

“The international community and human rights organizations must go to the Agadez humanitarian center, where refugees have been protesting for over a year,” he said, warning that the refugees urgently need intervention.

He also questioned the accuracy of statements made by humanitarian organisations about their treatment of vulnerable refugees, alleging that those stranded in Agadez had effectively been abandoned.

“Do not abandon innocent people,” he said, stressing that refugees fleeing danger should receive protection rather than being left in prolonged uncertainty.

Six refugees allegedly expelled to Chad border

In another post, Ismail commemorated what he described as a human rights violation that occurred on August 21, 2025, at the Agadez Humanitarian Camp.

According to his account, six refugees were arrested and subsequently expelled to the border with Chad after allegedly being stripped of their refugee status.

He presented the incident as part of broader concerns over the treatment and protection of refugees in the camp.

Ismail also called attention to what he described as the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Agadez, reiterating his demand for international protection and intervention.

The posts did not provide independent documentation or official responses from Nigerien authorities or the organisations criticised by Ismail. The allegations therefore could not be independently verified from the information provided.

The prolonged protest highlights wider concerns surrounding the protection of refugees and migrants stranded in Niger, particularly those seeking resettlement, asylum or other forms of international protection.