The Director of the Alternative Media Group, M. Moussa Tchangari was on Thursday October 9, 2003, arrested by four plainclothes police officers in Niamey, capital of Niger. Tchangari is being held in a cell at the Niamey Central Police Station.
According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)-Niger, the police agents, holding a warrant, arrived at the offices of the Alternative Media Group at about 11:00am and asked Tchangari to follow them.
At the police station, the Niamey Metropolitan Police Commander informed Tchangari that he was accused of “manipulating students to engage in acts intended to disturb the public order and causing severe damage to public and private property.”
Students of the University of Niamey, on Wednesday October 8, 2003, organized a demonstration, which ended in a clash with law enforcement agents. A vehicle was set ablaze by the demonstrators and several students were injured.