Niger Coup : No headway as Us envoy meets Niger coup leaders; Border closure ordered by ECOWAS threatens $226m Nigeria-Niger Trade
The second-ranking US diplomat met Niger’s military leaders on Monday to press to reverse a coup but reported no headway a day after an ultimatum from the West African bloc ECOWAS was ignored.
Niger’s military rulers were on Monday in defiance of an ultimatum to restore the elected government as the threat of possible military intervention was still on the table.
Niger has been critical to Western strategies to combat jihadist insurgencies that have plagued the Sahel since 2012, with France and the United States stationing around 1,500 and 1,000 troops in the country respectively.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian-Nigerien trade worth about $226.34m is at risk of breaking down following a border closure between the two countries.
The recent border closure by Nigeria with Niger following a military takeover that overthrew President Mohammed Bazoum’s democratically elected administration, is negatively affecting trade between both countries.
The acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, recently announced that because of current conditions in Niger, the borders had been blocked, with certain locations becoming off-limits to travel.
He stated that the decision was taken by the Economic Community of West African Countries.
The border closure was set to impact the $226.34m trade between both countries.
Recently report have it that a long line of articulated vehicles had crowded the border connecting Niger Republic to Nigeria in the Illela border town of Sokoto State.
