Sh*ck In Chad: Former Prime Minister Arrested Over Deadly Uprising

Former Chadian Prime Minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested early Friday over allegations of inciting hatred following deadly violence in the Logone-Occidental region.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Masra, who briefly held the position of Prime Minister from January to May last year, was reportedly taken from his residence in the early hours. His political party, The Transformers, alleged that he was forcibly abducted.

A circulating video, yet to be independently verified, showed Masra being escorted by armed personnel in military attire.

Chad’s Public Prosecutor, Oumar Kedelaye, confirmed the arrest and linked it to violent clashes on Wednesday that resulted in the deaths of 42 people, mostly women and children.

Kedelaye stated that police investigations had uncovered inciting messages encouraging civilians to take up arms, which were allegedly connected to Masra. However, no specific evidence or direct quotes were released.

“The judicial police discovered messages, particularly on social media, urging the population to arm themselves against fellow citizens,” the prosecutor told reporters.

The unrest reportedly stemmed from a land dispute between Fulani nomadic herders and Ngambaye farmers—an ongoing source of ethnic and regional tensions in Chad.

Masra, an ethnic Ngambaye from Chad’s Christian-majority south, ran against President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in the previous election, earning 18.5% of the vote compared to Deby’s 61.3%. He disputed the result and declared himself the true victor.

An economist by training, with education in France and Cameroon, Masra has long been a vocal critic of the Deby regime. Although appointed Prime Minister during a national reconciliation effort, he stepped down after five months. His party also boycotted the legislative elections that followed, citing lack of fairness.

Previously, Masra fled into exile after a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in October 2022, an event dubbed “Black Thursday” in which up to 300 people were reportedly killed. He later returned to Chad under a reconciliation pact, though his decision to engage with the ruling junta drew criticism from some opposition supporters.