Nigeria’s ambassador to Niger Republic refutes expulsion rumours amid diplomatic tensions
Mohammed Usman, Nigeria’s ambassador to the Republic of Niger, has not been expelled by the military junta, as confirmed by TheCable’s recent investigation.
A viral rumour that surfaced on Friday night and gained momentum on Saturday suggested that the junta had given Ambassador Usman a 48-hour ultimatum to leave the country due to his absence from a meeting without explanation.
However, in a telephone interview with TheCable on Saturday, Ambassador Usman refuted these claims, stating, “I was not given any ultimatum to leave the country. The report is false.”
READ ALSO: Tensions mount in Niger as military junta expels foreign ambassadors
On a separate note, the junta did take decisive action on Friday by ordering Sylvain Itte, the French ambassador, to depart the country within 48 hours.
This decision was attributed to the French ambassador’s refusal to attend a meeting with Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and other actions that were perceived as detrimental to Niger’s interests.
While the statement from the foreign ministry did not provide specific details, the junta accused French forces of releasing captured “terrorists” and violating airspace regulations in what they deemed an attempt to destabilize the country.
Furthermore, the country’s military leveled accusations against the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for aligning its troops with an unspecified foreign entity.
France, Niger’s former colonial power, had previously condemned the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and called for an immediate return to constitutional order.
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