Hundreds of people protest in Niger to demand the departure of troops from France

Hundreds of people have demonstrated in Niger to protest against the rising cost of living and demand the withdrawal of French troops from the country, in what was the first authorized demonstration in the capital, Niamey, for the last five years.

The protest, which has been marked by the slogans ‘The French criminal army, out’, ‘No to the increase in fuel prices’ and ‘No to the rise in the cost of living’, has ended without incident, amid a significant security deployment.

The demonstration was called by the M62 – made up of about 15 organizations – whose general coordinator, Abdoulaye Seydou, has demanded “the departure of the French force ‘Barkhane’ from Nigerian territory for violation of sovereignty and contempt for the Nigerian people, illustrated by the multiple massacres of the civilian population”.

Seydou has accused the French troops of “destabilization in the Sahel” and said they are responsible for “an obstacle to the indispensable collaboration between Niger and Mali in the fight against terrorism,” as reported by the Nigerian news portal ActuNiger.

“We reaffirm our solidarity and support Mali in the defense of its sovereignty,” he said, following the deployment of French troops in Niger after their departure from Mali due to tensions between Western countries and the military junta installed in this country after the August 2020 coup d’état.

He has also shown his support for the Nigerien forces “in their noble fight in defense of the national territory” against the jihadist threat, following the dozens of attacks recorded in the country in recent years, especially in the west and in the Lake Chad basin.

On the other hand, he has demanded “the cancellation of the measure on the increase of the price of diesel” and measures on the part of the authorities to face the increase in prices of electricity, basic foodstuffs and rent.

Seydou has also demanded that the authorities hand over to the courts former president Mahamadou Issoufou for “high treason” for alleged acts of corruption during the construction of a railroad line in the country.

In this line, he has denounced “a decade of chaotic, mafia-like and scandalous management of state power (…), Niger finds itself in a situation of unprecedented misery, despite the important natural resources (it has).”

Seydou has further accused Issoufou of “a program of liquidation” of the Nigerien Army “for the benefit of French forces and war businessmen, which has led to an upsurge in insecurity, with the consequence of thousands of civilian and military deaths.”

“The Sahel is facing a terrorist war invented by France with the assassination of the Libyan guide (in reference to Muammar Gaddafi) and the delivery of weapons to terrorist groups that attacked Mali and expanded their terrorist actions to neighboring countries, such as Niger and Burkina Faso, with the complicity of local agents who allowed France to install military bases with the aim of seizing resources and taking away the sovereignty of the states,” he denounced.

“After a decade of fight against terrorism, we easily understand that the French forces of ‘Barkane’ train, equip and coordinate terrorist organizations in the area of the three borders, as denounced by Bamako”, he explained, before denouncing the “submission” of the authorities to Paris.