Over 350 Indians are awaiting evacuation from Niger, the West African country which witnessed a military coup last month.
Shabeer, a native of Malappuram who has been working in the export sector of the country for the past two years, told The Hindu over phone from Niamey, the country’s capital, that almost all the foreigners, except Indians and a few Turkish people, had already been evacuated.
On Sunday, life appeared somewhat normal on the streets, though an eerie silence had settled over the streets that otherwise hummed with traffic and sirens, he said, adding that the entire region might witness a civil war anytime soon or an invasion by Western powers or forces led by Russia.
Thousands demonstrated outside a French military base in favour of the coup on Friday.
“We are anxiously awaiting evacuation. We are yet to get a final word from the Indian embassy officials. A social media group formed by the Indian Embassy has about 300-350 members, including close to a dozen Keralites,” he said.
“We have decided to wait till Monday for the Indian evacuation mission. If there is no clarity on evacuation after that, we have decided to move to Benin, a neighbouring country, by road, although it’s a risky attempt. If we pay money, the local authorities have assured us that they will provide a cover of armed men and armoured vehicles for us till the border,” said Shabeer.
Ahammad (name changed), a native of Kozhikode who reached Niger a few months ago from Muscat, said: “Even our family members in Kerala don’t know the real situation here. Local people are very friendly till now, but a civil war could change the equation anytime. This is what we have heard or seen in many other African countries in the past. Though the airspace is shut, the Indian government can bring in a flight to Niger for evacuation purposes as many other countries have did. Worryingly, among the stranded Indians, there are children and women, including pregnant ones. A risky road trip to Benin, which is over 900 km away from Niamey, is completely riddled with challenges,” says Mr. Ahammad.
In touch with Mission
NoRKA-Roots Chief Executive Officer K. Harikrishnan Namboothiri said that the Kerala government was in touch with the Indian Embassy in Niger and the Union Ministry of External Affairs. “We hope there will not be any major delay in the evacuation of the stranded Indians,” said Mr. Namboothiri.
Niger’s military last month imprisoned President Mohamed Bazoum and dissolved the elected government, raising the spectre of violence in the Sahel region of West Africa, which is already overrun by a deadly Islamist insurgency.
