The Niger Republic ruling junta has revoked the diplomatic immunity and credentials of the French Ambassador to the country, Sylvain Itte, and has therefore ordered the Nigerien Police to expel him.
The junta had last week given the French Ambassador 48 hours to leave the country. The deadline expired on August 28 without Itte being recalled by France.
The French government says it does not recognise the coup rulers as the country’s legitimate leaders.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said the Ambassador would stay in the country despite the junta’s pressure.
The latest communique sent by Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Itte “no longer enjoys the privileges and immunities attached to his status as a member of the diplomatic staff of the embassy.”
The document also said the diplomatic cards and visas of the ambassador’s families have been canceled.
Since toppling Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamad Bazoum, the junta has leveraged anti-French sentiment among the population to shore up its support. People chant “Down with France” at near daily rallies in front of a French military base in the capital, Niamey.
France has some 1,500 military personnel in Niger who trained and conducted joint operations with Nigerien security forces to beat back a growing jihadi insurgency linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) group. The operations have ceased since the coup, and jihadist attacks are increasing.
