Niger: Concern Grows After the Kidnapping of a Humanitarian in Agadez

Editorial :Africa Eye

A tragedy has struck the community of Agadez, in northern Niger, with the kidnapping on Saturday evening of Eva Gretzmacher, a 70-year-old Austrian humanitarian, by armed men, according to a report from the Nigerien news agency ANP. The incident took place near her home, close to the Caritas offices where she had worked for several decades. The kidnappers, described as wearing turbans, arrived in an all-terrain vehicle and abducted Ms. Gretzmacher in front of witnesses. A shopkeeper who tried to intervene was shot and forced into the assailants’ vehicle, which then fled.

Having lived in Agadez for over forty years, Eva Gretzmacher was well known and respected in the region for her dedication to the local nomadic populations. Her humanitarian work and close ties with the community had earned her great esteem. The authorities have not yet identified the kidnappers or clarified their motives, but an investigation is underway. This incident raises growing concerns about the safety of humanitarian workers in this unstable region of the Sahel.