Western Africa
34 cases
In West Africa, political motives, including political competition more generally and party competition during elections, were the main driver of assassinations. Main targets were community leaders with religious backgrounds, as well as farmers, cultural workers and teachers. Organized crime-related motives were less common, but in cases where they drove targeted killings, they were mostly related to the drugs market, exposure of corruption and revenge.
Main statistics
Political
Local community
Male
Shot
Number of cases over time
Featured countries in Western Africa
distribution of cases by
target group
Local community is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 38% of them.
motive
Political is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 62% of them.
method
Shot is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 62% of them.
perpetrator
Not reported is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 44% of them.
gender
Male is the category with the highest incidence of cases, accounting for 76% of them.
