The leaders of the coup in Niger have forbidden foreign groups, non-governmental organisations, and UN agencies from operating in military “operation zones.”
According to AFP, the Interior Ministry announced this on Thursday.
On July 26, a military coup headed by Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former head of Niger’s presidential guard, overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum.
The ECOWAS leaders authorised the activation of an ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger and stated that they would consider all possibilities for a peaceful end to the conflict.
A coup attempt against Bazoum by members of the presidential guard was also denounced by world leaders.
The following statement from the ministry was made public via national radio, but it did not identify the regions that were impacted: “Due to the current security situation and operational commitment of the Nigerien armed forces, the ministry informs international organisations, national and international NGOs, and UN agencies present in Niger that all activities and or movements in the zones of operations are temporarily suspended.”
In the meanwhile, the junta claimed in a statement that it had restarted domestic flights and reinstated the Constitutional Court among other state institutions. According to Reuters, the borders on land and in the air are still closed.
According to a Reuters reporter, there were lengthy lines of trucks, vehicles, and motorcycles on Thursday at the border between Gabon and southern Cameroon. Some people draped lines of clothes between cars at the Kye-Ossi crossing.
