A demonstration against the misappropriation of funds at the Ministry of National Defence was violently dispersed by the Defence and Security Forces (FDS), who threw tear gas grenades at the crowd, one of which reportedly fell on a canvas in the Tagabati market, setting it alight and causing the death of at least three people.

The FDS then arrested 16 people at the site of the demonstration or at their homes between 15 and 17 March 2020. Some were accused of having taken part in a banned demonstration (even though no banning order had been issued), while others were accused of complicity in homicide in connection with the deaths of three people on the sidelines of the demonstration. Nine of those arrested were released four days later. Moudi MOUSSA, coordinator of TLP-Niamey, was sent to Kollo prison in the Tillabéri region, far from his family and in a region where jihadist attacks occur almost weekly. He was finally released without trial on 30 September 2020. Since 15 September 2020, he has been considered a ‘prisoner of conscience’ by Amnesty International. His release remains conditional: the charges of ‘organising a banned demonstration and complicity in the destruction of public property, arson and manslaughter’ against him have not been lifted and he is still subject to criminal proceedings. He faces up to 4 years' imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 CFA francs (around €450).