Niger: State of emergency extended until March 2019 /update 1

Event

The Nigerien government has announced that the states of emergency in effect in the regions the Diffa, Tillabéry, and Tahoua (southeastern and western Niger) will be extended for an additional three months, from December 7. Associated measures - e.g. curfews, expanded military powers, etc. - are therefore to remain in effect until at least mid-December. According to the authorities, the security situation in the Tahoua and Tillabéry regions remains fragile due to Islamist militant activities, especially along the border with Mali and Burkina Faso, where the military presence has increased since October. In the Diffa region, the threat is primarily due to the presence of Boko Haram.

Context

The Diffa region has been under a state of emergency since February 2015, which has been extended by the government several times. Officials placed the Tillabéry and Tahoua regions under a state of emergency in March 2017 due to an increase in attacks targeting refugee camps and security forces.

Niger faces a high threat from terrorism, including armed attacks and abductions. Militant Islamist cells from various Nigerian and Malian terrorist groups - including Boko Haram as well as Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Al-Mourabitoun - are all active in the country.

Advice

Individuals throughout Niger should exercise vigilance when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted by an attack (government buildings, prominent hotels, etc.) and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Many Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to areas located in the north and west of the country, as well as areas along the Nigerian border to the south, due to the high risk of terrorist activity.