Niger coup leaders order police to expel French ambassador within 48 hours

The ruling junta in Niger has ordered police to drive out the French ambassador from the country with immediate effect.

The coup leaders are following the lead of juntas in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso in distancing themselves from the region’s former colonial ruler amid an anti-French trend.

The French government earlier said the army officers who seized power in Niamey last month had no jurisdiction to expel its ambassador.

The visas of French Ambassador Sylvain Itte and his family have been revoked, and police have been asked to deport the envoy, according to a statement issued by the junta on August 29 and verified as genuine on Thursday by its communications chief.

Abdourahmane Tchiani-led junta demanded the expulsion of the French envoy within 48 hours in reaction to what they dubbed as moves “contrary to the interests of Niger” by Paris.

The relations between France and its former colonies have been at their lowest state. Paris called for Niger’s ousted president Mohamed Bazoum to be returned to office and promised to back efforts by ECOWAS to overturn the coup. This has further angered the military junta.

Regional African authorities and Western governments have both criticized the coup.

The West African regional group ECOWAS placed sanctions on Niger, causing food and humanitarian deliveries to one of the world’s poorest countries to be on a stand still.

European Union foreign ministers also agreed on Thursday to start drafting sanctions against the coup plotters.