The rapidly deteriorating situation in Niger has prompted the UK Government to urge Britons to avoid all but essential travel to the West African country, with some areas classified as no-go areas.
There is mounting concern in the region after last week’s coup which has seen President Mohamed Bazoum ousted and replaced by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the head of the presidential guard.
The West is also monitoring the situation closely, given Wagner Group mercenaries are known to be based in neighbouring Mali, with Alicia Kearns, the Tory chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, voicing her concern about the situation in the region.
Thousands of supporters of General Tchiani marched through the streets of the capital, Niamey, waving Russian flags, chanting the name of the Russian president and forcefully denouncing former colonial power France yesterday.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) advisory issued today advised against all travel to the majority of the country, including all areas north of the city of Albalak, areas within 40km of the south-western border with Burkina Faso, and areas within 40km of the border with Nigeria in Diffa, Zinder and Maradi provinces.
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In addition, the FDCO is cautioning against all but essential travel to the rest of Niger, including the capital city Niamey.
An accompanying statement said officials had monitoring the situation in Niamey closely since July 26.
It added: ”There are reports of large protests on Sunday July 30. Protests can be violent and the atmosphere can change quickly and without warning. We advise British nationals to remain indoors.
“There has been a bulletin broadcast on national television, stating there is a military takeover.
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“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 post specifically relating the Central African Republic, 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 discuss the crisis. Members of Ecowas, the bloc of West African nations met in Nigeria’s captial Abuja, the BBC reports.
A statement from the summit was issued saying the nations had “zero tolerance” for coups and that miltary options were not out of the question in terms of intervention.
The statement continued that the regional bloc would “take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order” and that “such measures may include the use of force”.
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