Africa

Coup: French soldiers, ambassador will depart Niger – Macron

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2023

France President, Emmanuel Macron

Coup: French soldiers, ambassador will depart Niger – Macron

President Emmanuel Macron has said France will withdraw its ambassador and end all military co-operation with Niger following a coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

“France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” Macron said.

He added that military co-operation was “over” and French troops would leave in “the months to come”.

The military junta which seized power in Niger in July welcomed the move, according to BBC.

“This Sunday we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger,” the junta said in a statement.

There are about 1,500 French soldiers in the landlocked West African country helping to fight Islamist militants.

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Also, the United States has more than 1,000 troops in Niger but these have not been asked to leave.

The decision by Paris follows months of animosity and protests against the French presence in its former colony, with regular demonstrations in the capital Niamey.

The move dealt a blow to France’s operations against jihadists in the wider Sahel region and Paris’ influence there.

But Macron said France would “not be held hostage by the putschists,” speaking to France’s TF1 and France 2 television stations.

The French President said he still regarded deposed Niger leader Bazoum, currently held prisoner by the coup leaders, as the country’s “sole legitimate authority” and had informed him of his decision. He described the deposed president as a “hostage”.

“He was targeted by this coup d’etat because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a largely ethnic settling of scores and a lot of political cowardice,” he said.

Niger is one of several former French colonies in West and Central Africa where the military has recently seized control – it follows Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Chad. The latest coup was in Gabon in August.

Coup: French soldiers, ambassador will depart Niger – Macron

Africa

Nigeria denies alleged plot to destabilise Niger Republic

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Nigeria denies alleged plot to destabilise Niger Republic

The Federal Government of Nigeria has refuted “in very strong terms” allegations that it is plotting to destabilise neighbouring Niger Republic.

The Nigerien authorities alleged that the Lakurawa terrorist group, with the help of foreign security forces, including Nigerian security forces, were responsible for the attack on the Niger-Benin oil pipeline on December 13, 2024, in Gaya, Dosso Region of Niger Republic.

However, Nigeria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Saturday signed by its acting spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, refuted the allegation.

“The Government of Nigeria condoles with the Government of Niger over the unfortunate attack on the oil pipeline, but informs that the perpetrators were neither backed nor assisted by Nigerian authorities.

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“The Government of Nigeria is strongly committed to the fight against terrorism and will not condone or support the activities of such groups.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria also expresses very serious concern and states categorically that there are no French military troops in the northern part of the country preparing to destabilize the Government of Niger.

“These allegations are unfounded and should be discarded in their entirety,” the Statement read in part.

It also noted that the relationship between Nigeria and France had always been cordial, saying it is guided by mutual respect, dignity, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

The government of Nigeria assured that it would continue to explore all peaceful means to maintain its cordial relationship with the Republic of Niger for the benefit of the people of both countries.

Nigeria denies alleged plot to destabilise Niger Republic

Africa

Suspected witchdoctors arrested over attempt to ‘bewitch’ Zambia’s President

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Suspected witchdoctors arrested over attempt to ‘bewitch’ Zambia’s President

Two men were detained in Zambia on charges of being “witchdoctors” tasked with attempting to bewitch the president.

The police stated they had arrested Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Leonard Phiri in Lusaka.

“Their purported mission was to use charms to harm” President Hakainde Hichilema, according to the police statement issued on Friday.

Many individuals in the southern African country believe in and dread witches.

The police stated Mr. Candunde and Mr. Phiri were hired by Nelson Banda, MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda’s younger brother.

The MP was reportedly arrested last month in nearby Zimbabwe on robbery allegations, which he denies, but he has not been seen in public since.

He is also accused of escaping from detention in August while waiting to appear in court.

The opposition Patriotic Front (PF), led by z, has previously claimed that the charges are politically motivated.

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Emmanuel Banda, who has been an independent MP since 2021, previously worked with Lungu, who lost the presidency to Hichilema that same year.

The police stated the MP’s younger brother, Nelson, was “currently on the run” in their statement.

Mr. Candunde and Mr. Phiri face charges under Zambia’s Witchcraft Act for “possession of charms,” “professing knowledge of witchcraft,” and “cruelty to wild animals.”

The pair was found with “assorted charms,” including a live chameleon, according to the authorities.

According to the police statement, they claimed they had been given more than 2 million Zambian kwacha (£58,000; $73,000) for their “mission.”

The accused are in jail and will appear in court “soon,” according to the police, although no specific date has been set for the hearing. They have not yet responded in public to the charges.

Suspected witchdoctors arrested over attempt to ‘bewitch’ Zambia’s President

Africa

South African man sentenced to six life terms for killing his relatives

Published

1 week ago

December 13, 2024

Trends Admin

South African man sentenced to six life terms for killing his relatives

The Pietermaritzburg High Court in South Africa has sentenced a 38-year-old man, Sthembiso Nkosinathi Mthimkhulu, to six terms of life imprisonment for the m8rder of six of his relatives in February 2021 in the Nkanini area of Eshowe.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on Thursday, December 12, 2024, said that before the incident, one of Mthimkhulu’s relatives had passed away.

Mthimkhulu suspected that his uncle had practised witchcraft on this person, causing them to d!e.

Mthimkhulu planned to kill his uncle and decided to use a firearm to carry out his actions.

On 20 February 2021, Mthimkhulu drove to his uncle’s homestead where he found his uncle in the company of his (uncle’s) family.

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Mthimkhulu opened fire on them, killing six of them, including two minor children aged eight and 10 years old. He then fled the scene and was arrested after his car was tracked to Greytown, where he had gone to see a traditional healer.

In the state’s case, Advocate Mbongeni Chamane led the testimony of an eyewitness.

Further, Adv, Chamane handed in Victim Impact Statements, compiled by the deceased’s grandchildren, and facilitated by Court Preparation Officers Nokuvela Mlotshwa and Amanda Nxumalo.

In her statement, the younger child drew pictures showing her smiling before the incident and crying following the incident. The older grandchild said that her parents had died when she was very young, so her grandparents (the deceased) were like her parents. They took such good care of her, and she misses them. She said that following the incident their family is highly traumatised, and they live with fear and anxiety. In addition to the sentence, Mthimkhulu was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The NPA commends the work done by the Prosecution and Police. It is incumbent on us to fight for justice on behalf of the victims of crime. We hope that stringent sentences like this convey our commitment to the fight against crime,” the statement added.