The Niger junta has barred United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations from working in areas it described as “military operation zones”.
The country’s interior ministry disclosed this on Thursday but failed to specify the affected areas.
“Due to the current security situation and operational commitment of the Nigerien armed forces, the ministry informs international organisations, national and international NGOs and UN agencies present in Niger that all activities and or movements in the zones of operations are temporarily suspended,” the ministry said according to AFP.
Meanwhile, the junta said it had resumed domestic flights and restored some state institutions, including the Constitutional Court. However, land and air borders remain shut.
On Thursday, trucks, cars and motorbikes were stuck in long queues at Gabon’s border with southern Cameroon, a Reuters reporter said. At a crossing at Kye-Ossi some hung lines of laundry in between vehicles.
Politics Nigeria recalls that President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted on July 26 in a military coup led by the former commander of Niger’s presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani.
The Economic Community of West African States said they would keep all options on the table for a peaceful resolution to the crisis and ordered the activation of an ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger.
