Niger junta expels French ambassador over biasness.

NIAMEY, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Niger's junta, which seized power in a coup on July 26, said on Friday it had ordered French ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country within 48 hours, as relations between the West African country and its former colonial ruler deteriorated further.

Like recent coups in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, the military takeover in Niger came amid a growing wave of anti-French sentiment, with some locals accusing the European country of interfering in their affairs.

In a statement, the junta-appointed foreign ministry said the decision to expel the ambassador was a response to actions taken by the French government that were "contrary to the interests of Niger."

It said these included the envoy's refusal to respond to an invitation to meet Niger's new foreign minister.

The French foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Official-seeming statements were shared widely online on Friday that appeared to show Niger ordering the U.S. ambassador and German ambassador to leave the country in similar terms to the statement about the French envoy.

Niger's junta supporters take part in a demonstration in front of a French army base in Niamey,

The U.S. State Department on Friday said Niger had informed it this had not been issued by its foreign ministry. "No such request has been made to the U.S. government," it said.

A source in the junta and a Nigerien security source said only the French ambassador had been asked to leave.

The coup has pushed Niger's long-standing relationship with France to breaking-point and this latest move raises further doubts about the future of joint military efforts to fight an Islamist insurgency in the conflict-torn Sahel region.

France has called for President Mohamed Bazoum to be returned to office following his ouster and has said it would support efforts by West African regional bloc ECOWAS to overturn the coup.

It has also not officially recognised a decision by the junta in early August to revoke a raft of military agreements with France, saying these had been signed with Niger's "legitimate authorities."

The deterioration in Niger-France relations echoes post-coup developments in Mali and Burkina Faso, which have booted out French forces and severed long-standing ties.

Niger has strategic significance as one of the world's biggest producers of uranium and as a base for French, U.S. and other foreign troops that are helping to fight Islamist militant groups in the region.

Reporting by Boureima Balima; Additional reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Costas Pitas; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian and Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Rosalba O'Brien

Comments

Vurra Constituency MP Adriko Yovan gets six months imprisonment for failing to repay loan.

📸: Hon Adriko Yovan. Story By Andrew Cohen Amvesi. ARUA . Yovan Adriko, the Vurra County Member of Parliament (MP) in Arua district has been committed to six months civil prison for failing to clear debts amounting to shs55,677,400. Adriko was on Thursday evening sent to Arua government prison to serve six months shortly after his arrest at Slumberland hotel in Arua City. MP Adriko warrant of committal judgement debtor to jail. Paul Mawa of T/A Vitality Associates, the court bailiff assigned to arrest the MP, duped him to come and pick some money for a land transaction at Slumberland hotel where he picked him like a baby after a long hunt. Adriko was immediately arraigned before Her Worship Karungi Leo, the Deputy Registrar of Arua High Court who later committed him to imprisonment not exceeding six months. Part of Adriko’s warrant of arrest issued b court Adriko was sent to the coolers for failing to clear shs48m which is the princip

Arrested Arua City Officials Taken to Kampala this Night.

Wednesday 8-November-2023. 📸: The arrest of Arua City Physical Planner Mr Findru Moses on 6-Nov-2023 at around 2pm. 📸: Mr Jobile Cornelius the City Deputy town clerk who was arrested on 7-Nov-2023 at around 4pm. 📸: Mrs Lillian Aleni (in red cloth) and Mr Edoni Benard being handcuffed by police officer on 6-Nov-2023 at around 6pm. The bail that was to be issued last night 8pm 7-Nov-2023 to release the arrested City Deputy town clerk Mr Jobile Cornelius and CFO Mr Sam Adriko over mismanagement of government properties and monies was canceled, and by this time of the night 11pm, highly placed sources leaked that, all the arrested suspects (Mr Findru Moses the Arua City Physical Planner, Mr Jobile Cornelius the Deputy City clerk, Mr Adriko Sam the CFO, Mr Edoni Benard the PDM BOG Chairperson for Pangisa ward and Mrs Lillian Aleni the parish chief for Pangisa ward) are being transported by State House Anti-corruption Unit officers who will soon be reac

Wedded Ayivu West MP Lematia John Fights Over Another Woman.

📸: Hon Lematia John. By URN. Police in Arua district are investigating a case of assault and threatening violence involving the Member of Parliament for Ayivu West Constituency John Lematia and James Ariko, a DSTV technician in Arua city. Drama ensued on Easter Sunday 31-3-2024 at Dream Land Hotel located at Kuluva trading center along Arua-Nebbi highway in Arua district when the legislator and the technician engaged in a fight reportedly over a woman identified as Faith Eyotaru 25, a relationship officer at Victoria University Kampala. The scuffle started after Ayivu West Mp John Lematia went to swim at Dreamland Hotel with Faith Eyotaru only to find Ariko, who had gone to the same hotel earlier. However, upon seeing the duo coming out of the vehicle, Ariko confronted Lematia with both men claiming to be having a relationship with the lady. It took the intervention of the staff at the hotel who intervened and separated the fight between the men. Josephine Angucia, the West Nile re

Information is Power

Search This Blog