THE Nigerian embassy in Niger Republic has refuted reports that its building was razed down by irate protesters in Niamey.
In an official statement by the Nigerian Ambassador to Niger, Mohammed Sani Usman, the embassy clarified the incident on Saturday, August 12.
According to the statement, the protesters attempted to breach the embassy’s premises, but concerted efforts of the Nigerien military and law enforcement effectively kept the situation under control.
“The Embassy wishes to inform the general public that even though protesters tried to gain access to the Embassy on July 30, 2023, the Nigerien Military and Police Authorities promptly curtailed the situation.
“At the moment, the Embassy is well guarded by the Nigerien Military and other Security Authorities. We reiterate that the videos are fake and as such, the general public is enjoined to disregard such videos,” the statement read.
A video of some young men setting a building ablaze was circulated on social media with captions suggesting that the Nigerian Embassy in Niger was being burnt down by an angry mob.
This followed protests by coup supporters in Niger against the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what they described as interference with their country’s affairs.
The protesters in Niger kicked against plans by ECOWAS to invade the country if putschists, who ousted the elected president Mohamed Bazoum through a military coup, failed to restore him to power.
The military government in Niger, backed by Mali and Burkina Faso, two countries suspended by the ECOWAS over military coups, also threatened the Community with war should there be a case of military intervention, and many Nigerians have warned against it.
Kano residents protest
In a related development in Kano state, protesters took to the streets on Saturday, August 12, to express displeasure over the proposed use of force by ECOWAS following the Niger coup.
They were spotted chanting anti-war phrases and flying both Nigerian and Nigerien flags.
“Nigeriens are our brothers; Nigeriens are also our family. Niger is ours. We don’t want war; war against Niger is injustice, a plot by the Western forces,” they chanted.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.