Britons instructed to not journey to Niger as state of affairs deteriorates
The quickly deteriorating state of affairs in Niger has prompted the UK Government to induce Britons to keep away from all however important journey to the West African nation, with some areas categorised as no-go areas.
There is mounting concern within the area after final week’s coup which has seen President Mohamed Bazoum ousted and changed by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the pinnacle of the presidential guard.
The West can also be monitoring the state of affairs carefully, given Wagner Group mercenaries are identified to be primarily based in neighbouring Mali, with Alicia Kearns, the Tory chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, voicing her concern in regards to the state of affairs within the area.
Thousands of supporters of General Tchiani marched by way of the streets of the capital, Niamey, waving Russian flags, chanting the title of the Russian president and forcefully denouncing former colonial energy France yesterday.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) advisory issued right now suggested in opposition to all journey to nearly all of the nation, together with all areas north of the town of Albalak, areas inside 40km of the south-western border with Burkina Faso, and areas inside 40km of the border with Nigeria in Diffa, Zinder and Maradi provinces.
In addition, the FDCO is cautioning in opposition to all however important journey to the remainder of Niger, together with the capital metropolis Niamey.
An accompanying assertion stated officers had monitoring the state of affairs in Niamey carefully since July 26.
It added: ”There are experiences of enormous protests on Sunday July 30. Protests could be violent and the ambiance can change rapidly and with out warning. We advise British nationals to stay indoors.
“There has been a bulletin broadcast on national television, stating there is a military takeover.
“Options to leave Niger are extremely limited. Currently air borders remain closed, please continue to check with your airline.
“A curfew is in place between 00:00-05:00. You should remain vigilant and monitor travel advice.”
In a submit particularly relating the Central African Republic, just a few hundred miles to the south, Ms Kearns tweeted: “The Wagner Network’s guns-for-hire have filtered back into the Central African Republic over the last 10 days.
“Why? To control the referendum and ensure the President secures the end to restrictions on his rule. Regime survival to maintain Kremlin interests: that is their goal.”
West African leaders held an emergency summit on Sunday to debate the disaster. Members of Ecowas, the bloc of West African nations met in Nigeria’s captial Abuja, the BBC reports.
A press release from the summit was issued saying the nations had “zero tolerance” for coups and that miltary choices weren’t out of the query when it comes to intervention.
The assertion continued that the regional bloc would “take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order” and that “such measures may include the use of force”.