Faith Nyasuguta
Over the weekend, thousands rallied in Niamey to demand that France withdraw its troops from Niger, as sought by the junta that seized power late June.
Following a call by several civic organizations’ hostile to French military presence in the West African country, the protesters gathered near a base housing French soldiers
“We are here to express our determination, our commitment and our devotion to getting the French military force and all the military bases on our national territory out of the country,” explained protester Amidou Gourou.
On Friday, Niger’s military regime had fired a new verbal broadside at France, accusing Paris of “blatant interference” by backing the country’s ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.
Last month, the regime had announced the scrapping of military agreements with France, which has some 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country to help fight jihadism in the region.
Paris shunned the move on grounds of legitimacy.
The military rulers also announced the immediate “expulsion” of the French ambassador Sylvain Itte and announced the withdrawal of his diplomatic immunity, stating his presence was a threat to public order.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday last week hailed Itte’s work in Niger and said he will stay in the country, despite being given a 48-hour deadline to leave Niger a week ago.
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