The military authority in Niger has expelled the French Ambassador to the country, Sylvain Itte to leave Niamey within 48 hours back to his country.
CAPITAL POST reports that tension has been growing daily over the coup which the Economic Community of West African States has condemned and had ordered a restoration of the constitution order.
Niger’s international partners and France which is Niger’s ex colonial masters were also not in support of the military junta
But in a statement issued by Niger’s foreign ministry on Friday in Niamey accused the French Ambassador of not honouring an invitation.
The statement said: “other actions by the French government contrary to the interests of Niger” led to the ambassador’s withdrawal.
However, the foreign ministry did not provide details.
The junta had accused French forces of freeing captured “terrorists” and breaching a ban on the airspace in an attempt to destabilise the country.
The country’s military had also accused the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of aligning its troops with a foreign entity whom it did not mention.
Niger, a former French colony, was France’s partner before last month’s coup in the fight against jihadi violence.
Niger’s junta also authorized troops from neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso to come to its defense, raising the stakes in a stand-off with other West African nations who are threatening to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The junta leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, signed two executive orders authorizing the “security forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to intervene on Niger territory in the event of aggression,” senior junta official Oumarou Ibrahim Sidi said late on Thursday, after hosting a delegation from the two countries in the Nigerien capital, Niamey.
Sidi did not provide further details about the military support from the two countries whose military regimes have said any use of force by the West African bloc ECOWAS against Niger’s junta would be treated as an act of war against their own nations.
Before last month’s ousting Mr Bazoum, Niger was seen as the West’s last major partner against jihadi violence in the Sahel region below the Sahara Desert, which is rife with anti-French sentiment.
