Chad’s former Prime Minister and prominent opposition figure, Succes Masra, has been arrested following deadly violence in the south-western Logone Occidental province, in which at least 42 people were killed. According to public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, Masra is suspected of spreading inflammatory messages on social media that may have incited the violence.
Masra’s Transformers party has condemned the arrest, describing it as a “kidnapping” carried out by military officers in the early hours of the morning. The party alleges the arrest was “outside of any known judicial procedure” and politically motivated, given Masra’s longstanding opposition to President Mahamat Idriss Déby.
The violence erupted in the village of Mandakao, near the Cameroonian border, in what is believed to be a deadly escalation of tensions between local Ngambaye farmers and Fulani herdsmen. Sources suggest the clash was triggered by a land dispute, a common cause of conflict in the region, where farmers have repeatedly accused herders of grazing animals on their farmland. Authorities say more than 80 individuals have been detained in connection with the violence.
Kedelaye stated that messages circulated online, including on social media, called on citizens to arm themselves, further fuelling the unrest. Masra is alleged to have contributed to this volatile atmosphere, though no formal charges have yet been announced.
Masra briefly served as interim Prime Minister from January to May 2024 under Chad’s transitional government but returned to the opposition after stepping down. He has remained a vocal critic of President Déby and claimed to have won the presidential elections last year a claim rejected by official results, which gave Déby a 61% majority.
The Transformers party boycotted last December’s legislative elections, citing lack of transparency. The Déby family has maintained a tight grip on power in Chad for over 30 years, a situation Masra and his supporters have long opposed.
Masra’s arrest raises concerns about political repression and deepening instability in a country already grappling with intercommunal violence and contested democratic processes.
