The former Prime Minister of Chad and opposition leader, Succes Masra, was taken from his home by security forces on Friday morning, according to a member of his political party, though the reason for the arrest remains unclear.
The charges against Masra could further shrink the democratic space in Chad, where the government is often accused of banning protests and suppressing the media.
A Facebook post by Ndolembai Sade Njesada, the vice president of Masra’s opposition party, Transformers, showed video footage of what appeared to be armed individuals removing Masra from his residence.
The government spokesperson did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Masra has been a prominent critic of President Mahamat Idriss Déby, who came to power after the death of his father, President Idriss Déby, in 2021 while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north of the country.
In January 2024, Masra was appointed Prime Minister in an attempt to appease the opposition, just four months ahead of the presidential election in which Mahamat Idriss Déby won with 61% of the vote.
Before the official provisional results were announced, Masra had declared himself the winner and accused the electoral process of being rigged.
He resigned as Prime Minister shortly before General Mahamat Idriss Déby was sworn in.
