Coup: France, Italy to evacuate nationals from Niger

France will begin the evacuation of its citizens from Niger following a military in a coup in the West African country on Tuesday.

The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that citizens of other European nations who wanted to leave the country would be airlifted.

This followed a threat by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to use the military approach against the soldiers that toppled President Mohammed Basoum last week.

The sub-regional body had also ordered the closure of air and land borders near Niger Republic in a bid to force the junta to restore constitutional order in the impoverished West African country.

READ ALSO: UN suspends humanitarian operations in Niger over coup

The Italian government had also declared its intention to evacuate the country’s nationals from Niger.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, said the country’s embassy in the Nigerien capital Niamey would remain open.

He was however silent on when the evacuation exercise would begin.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now