The shocking death of Fulbert Mouanodji, a former high-ranking Chadian civil servant, has sparked national outrage and controversy after he was found burned alive just one day after warning on Facebook: “I am in danger, friends.” The grim discovery was made in Abéché, eastern Chad, on Saturday, August 2, 2025, and has triggered fierce debate over whether it was suicide, as authorities claim, or a politically motivated assassination, as his family and many citizens insist.
Mouanodji, previously chief of staff to the governor of Ennedi Est, allegedly poured gasoline over himself and set himself on fire in public, according to a statement by the Abéché Attorney General. Authorities insist the act was a suicide and that the investigation remains ongoing. However, this official narrative has been rejected by his relatives and a growing number of Chadians online, who point to social media posts and messages suggesting that Mouanodji feared for his life in the days leading up to his death.
Social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) have been flooded with outrage, disbelief, and calls for justice. In one post, user @yousma_ordimi wrote: “Fulbert Mouanodji had denounced the threats. The next day, he was found burned alive. This is not just a tragedy. It is the chilling reflection of a country where speaking can cost you your life.”
Screenshots shared by Chadian news outlet Tchad One show an alleged private conversation between Mouanodji and a friend, in which he claimed agents from the Chadian secret service (ANS) were following him from N’Djamena to Amdjarass. According to reports, Mouanodji had recently engaged in a private discussion at a bar criticizing Chad’s socio-political situation, a conversation that was later leaked, prompting surveillance and threats.
His family strongly believes he was targeted and murdered during his journey. “If he had wanted to commit suicide, he would have done it in N’Djamena, with his family,” said his sister, Félicité Mouandandgodi, in an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI). “Fulbert warned us he was in danger. When we arrived in Abéché, we learned he was dead. This was murder, pure and simple,” added cousin Nadjiam Dingam.
Gruesome images of Mouanodji’s burned body have circulated widely online, intensifying public pressure for a transparent investigation. Despite the government’s insistence that the death was self-inflicted, many view the incident as part of a larger pattern of intimidation and violence against dissenting voices in Chad, where freedom of expression is increasingly under threat.
The family has announced plans to formally appeal to the N’Djamena public prosecutor’s office to launch a full and independent investigation into the circumstances of Mouanodji’s death. Human rights organizations, opposition leaders, and international observers are also closely watching the case as a test of justice and accountability in Chad.
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