Keeping displaced families safe amid surge in Niger violence
A year ago, when armed men entered Rissa's* remote village in western Niger's volatile border area with Mali, they began by ordering the villagers to hand over money, livestock and jewellery. Then the violence began. When they encouraged Rissa to join their group, the father-of-six knew it was time to go. "They killed our leaders to make [people] leave the village," 40-year-old Rissa explained. "The armed groups approached me to take part in the looting and crimes against the population. When I refused, they sent me death threats and also threatened to kidnap my wife and my children. I had…