Niger: Junta Cuts Off Electricity, Water Supply To French Embassy

Niger military leadership has cut off electricity and water supplies to the French Embassy in the capital Niamey with no food deliveries allowed, Turkish news wire, Anadolu reports citing multiple social media sources.

Reports say the military junta has also taken similar action at the French consulate in Zinder, Tera, Oualam, Ayorou, Dosso, Niamey, Filingue and everywhere else.

The President of the National Support Committee for the CNSP Elh Issa Hassoumi Boureima asked all partners of the French bases in Niger to suspend all fuel supplies of water and electricity and food products.

“We ask Nigelec and SPEN (SEEN)) to cut off water and electricity in the French Embassy, in the French consulates of Zinder and Niamey,” he was quoted to have said.

In addition, any partners who continue to help the French in the process of supplying the goods and services will be considered enemies of the sovereign people.

The reports come after a two-day deadline given by the military administration to the French ambassador, Sylvain Itte, 48 hours to leave Nigerien territory expired Sunday.

Relations between the new regime in Niamey and several Western powers, and the West African bloc ECOWAS, have soured since the coup on 26 July.

However, authorities in Paris were quick to reject the order against its ambassador by Friday evening, repeating that France did not recognise the military rulers’ authority.

Niger was plunged into turmoil on July 26 after Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

(Daily Trust)