The Niger Junta, Usman and a few Western diplomats were ordered to leave the country by a statement apparently issued on Friday by the Niger foreign affairs ministry.
The military authorities in the Niger Republic deny requesting that the Nigerian ambassador leave within 72 hours by asking Mohamed Usman.Usman and a few Western diplomats were ordered to leave the country by a statement apparently issued on Friday by the Niger foreign affairs ministry.
The statement had read: “The ministry is giving Mr. Mohamed Usman 48 hours to leave the Nigerien territory in response to Nigerian Ambassador Mohamed Usman’s refusal to reply to a discussion invitation by the ministry for Friday, August 25, at 11.30 a.m., and due to other actions of the Nigerian government contrary to Niger’s interests.”
The German ambassador to Niger was also expelled for the same reason.
The ministry gave Mr. Olivier Schnakenberg 48 hours to leave the Nigerien territory as a result of his refusal to respond to an invitation for a discussion on Friday, August 25, at 11 a.m., as well as other German government actions that were detrimental to Niger’s interests, it said in a separate statement.
Sylvain Itte, the French ambassador, had previously been given 48 hours to leave Niger by the military government.The Niger Republic’s foreign affairs ministry, however, reversed course and refuted the initial letter in yet another statement
“Contrary to the information deliberately distilled on social networks which report a decision by the Nigerien authorities ordering the Ambassadors of Germany, Nigeria, and the United States of America to leave Nigerien territory within 48 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration, and Nigeriens Abroad specifies that the said information is false and that only the Ambassador of France in Niger is declared persona non grata.”
The Ministry also reminds those who are upset and continue to question the expression of Niger’s sovereign will that Niger doesn’t require permission from anyone or an interpretation of the Vienna Convention of 1961 in order to exercise its prerogatives and order the departure of Ambassador Sylvain ITTE after this 48-hour period ends on August 25 in Niamey.The Daily Trust was also informed by a source in the Nigerian embassy in Niger that the junta was unaware of Usman’s expulsion.
Read Also Tinubu sends Muslim clerics to the Niger Republic for further discussion.
According to the source, the military authority that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum’s administration exactly one month ago felt humiliated by the reports.
According to reports, this prompted the foreign affairs ministry to release a counter statement, showing a lack of cooperation on the side of the nation’s current leaders.
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