Nigeria plans to ease sanctions imposed earlier against Niger to lessen the negative effect on the country's residents. The Senior Adviser to the Nigerian President on Public Affairs, Ajuri Ngelale, stated that.
"We will relax as much as possible the sanctions to minimize the impact on Nigerian civilians," he said in an interview with Nigerian newspaper, The Independent.
The decision to impose economic and trade sanctions against Niger was taken at the ECOWAS summit held on July 30. In particular, Nigeria cut off electricity supplies to the republic on August 1. Commander of the Guard Abdourahamane Tchiani called the sanctions "illegal and inhumane". Earlier, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 4.3 million people in Niger are in need of humanitarian assistance, with 3.3 million, or more than 10% of the country's population, facing severe food shortages, the vast majority of those in need are women and children.
In late July, a group of military officers from Niger's presidential guard mutinied and announced the ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum. The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, led by Guard Commander Tchiani, was formed to govern the country. ECOWAS leaders imposed tough sanctions against Niger and demanded that the rebels release Bazoum, threatening to use force.
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Based on materials from TASS