Hostage to violent extremism: Kidnapping in northern Benin

The report documents a dramatic increase in kidnappings in northern Benin, particularly in the Atacora and Alibori departments, driven primarily by Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). Unlike criminal kidnappings for ransom, VEO-led abductions are strategic tools used for forced recruitment, intelligence gathering, punishment of collaborators, and the intimidation of local leaders to displace state influence. The study highlights the role of national parks (Pendjari and Park W) as hideouts and recruitment hubs, and recommends the development of defector protection and amnesty programmes, infrastructure improvements, and restored diplomatic cooperation with Niger and Nigeria to counter the threat.

• Kidnapping incidents in northern Benin escalated sharply in 2023, with 75 recorded incidents by November, more than three times the 24 incidents recorded in 2022.
• Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) is the primary VEO operating in northern Benin, while Islamic State Sahel (IS Sahel) has a more limited presence, mainly near the border with Niger in the Karimama and Malanville communes.
• VEOs employ four distinct types of kidnapping to facilitate territorial expansion: forced recruitment of young men and women, intelligence gathering on state forces, punishment for those who breach agreements or collaborate with the state, and intimidation of influential community leaders.
• National parks, specifically Pendjari National Park in Atacora and Park W in Alibori, serve as critical gateways for VEO infiltration, rear bases for militants, and secluded locations to hide hostages.
• VEOs exploit local grievances related to conservation measures imposed by the African Parks Network (APN) in 2017, which limited hunting and fishing, to recruit local hunters who possess expert knowledge of the terrain.
• There is a clear distinction between VEO-led strategic kidnappings and criminal kidnappings for ransom; the latter are primarily an intra-herder phenomenon often linked to actors based in Nigeria, with victims frequently moved to the Kainji National Park.
• VEO violence against civilians in northern Benin shifted in 2023, with civilians becoming the primary targets (77% of incidents) compared to 2022, where state forces and civilians were targeted almost equally.
• The report recommends that the Beninese government establish protection and amnesty programmes for defectors to incentivise departures from VEOs and secure intelligence.
• Improving rural road infrastructure and telephone network coverage is recommended to increase community resilience and allow the Beninese Armed Forces (FAB) to respond more quickly to abductions.
• The document urges the restoration of military and intelligence cooperation with Niger, which was voided by the Nigerien military junta following the July 2023 coup detat.

APA

Berger, F., Tagziria, L., & Mossi, A. (2024). Hostage to violent extremism: Kidnapping in northern Benin. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1711348224863-ocwar-t-research-report-15_2.pdf

Chicago

Berger, Flore, Lyes Tagziria, and Aziz Mossi. Hostage to violent extremism: Kidnapping in northern Benin. Institute for Security Studies, 2024. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1711348224863-ocwar-t-research-report-15_2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Berger |first1=Flore |last2=Tagziria |first2=Lyes |last3=Mossi |first3=Aziz |title=Hostage to violent extremism: Kidnapping in northern Benin |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=February 2024 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1711348224863-ocwar-t-research-report-15_2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{berger2024hostage, author = {Berger, Flore and Tagziria, Lyes and Mossi, Aziz}, title = {{Hostage to violent extremism: Kidnapping in northern Benin}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2024}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1711348224863-ocwar-t-research-report-15_2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }