Three people had been killed at the end of November, in the west of the country, on the sidelines of a manifestation of opposition to the French military convoy.
Le Monde with AFP
The Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum asked France to open an investigation into the clashes that took place at the end of November on the road of the military convoy of the Barkhane force. According to a balance sheet established by Niamey, three people had been killed and 17 wounded, in shots attributed to the Nigerian forces by some, French by others.
“With regard to the French soldiers, I demanded from the French authorities that they open an investigation to punish those who have been guilty of wrongdoing,” said the Nigerian president in a radio-television message. On the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic in this former French colony.
This French military convoy part of the Ivorian economic capital Abidjan had to join Gao in Mali, as it occurs frequently since the beginning of the French intervention in the Sahel in 2013. But it has become a symbol of hostility to the The armed commitment of France in the Sahel, which is growing in Mali, Burkina Faso and therefore in Niger, in populations exceeded by jihadist violence become ubiquitous.
He was first blocked and helped in Kaya, in the center of Burkina Faso, before resuming his way a few days later and to be interrupted by angry protesters in the West. Niger. Three of them had been killed in shots whose origin remains uncertain. At the time, the Nigerian Ministry of the Interior had explained that “very violent protesters” had blocked the convoy under escort of the Nigerian gendarmerie. He had added, without specifying if he referred to the gendarmerie or the Barkhane force, that “in his attempt to disengage, she made use of the force.” The convoy had finally been able to take the road for Gao.
“An unfortunate dysfunctions”
According to Mohamed Bazoum, “unfortunate dysfunctions” of the “order of the order” which was “largely insufficient” to “ensure the passage of the French military convoy”, are at the origin of these clashes. He also said he had “ordered a survey” by the “competent” Nigerian “services” to identify these dysfunctions and locate the different responsibilities “.
Following these incidents, the Nigerian president had changed the Minister of the Interior, Alkache Alhada as well as the High Commander of the National Gendarmerie, General Salifou Wakasso, without giving an explanation.
Niger must face the regular and deadly attacks of jihadist groups related to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in the West Sahel, and those of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Africa of the West (iSwap) in the southeast.
Burkina Faso and Mali border, it is a regular crossing point of the French force that will lighten its footprint by reducing its numbers of more than 5,000 today, at 3,000 million. MI-2022.
Unlike the relationship between France and Mali who stretched up in recent months, the relationship between Niamey and Paris are good. Mohamed Bazoum had even expressed, while the convoy was going to arrive at Niger his “gratitude” towards France, of which he greeted the “sacrifices”.