Niger vows to arrest
exiled opposition leaders
The
Nigerien government has expressed its determination to arrest
three exiled opposition leaders - including a former president.
Consequently, it has revalidated the warrant of arrest for them.
Minister of Justice Garba Lompo announced the arrest warrants
for former President Mahamane Ousmane, former Prime Minister
Hama Amadou and Mahamadou Issoufou, the leader of the main
opposition party.
Mr. Lompo was quoted as saying, ’’From this day onwards all
those people having warrants against them will be arrested if
they come to Niger.’’
He said the opposition had wanted to get rid of Mr. Tandja at
all costs and now that the government had struck back there
seemed to be no compromise on the horizon.
Mediation threatened
With this development, talks aimed at ending a crisis sparked
when President Mamadou Tandja changed the constitution so he
could stand for a third term has been threatened.
Before the announcement on the revalidation of warrants of
arrest, opposition delegates were taking part in talks.
The regional group ECOWAS, mediating the talks, said it no
longer recognised Mr. Tandja's authority.
On Wednesday the US suspended aid and announced it was imposing
travel bans on senior officials.
Had he honoured his term limits, Mr. Tandja would have stepped
down as president on Tuesday.
BBC/Qasim/Yinka
