In Niger, the NGO “Alternative citizen spaces” warns of the fate of Nigerien migrants arrested by armed men in Libya, in the locality of Shouaraf, on September 6. Difficult to give a precise number, but it could be several dozen people. Alternative citizen spaces calls on the Nigerien authorities to use all diplomatic means to resolve this situation.
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According to testimonies collected by the NGO “Alternative citizen spaces”one of the migrants died. Some were able to be released by the Libyan bosses who employ them. But others were taken to an unknown destination, and have not been heard from since.
Yahaya Badamassi, regional coordinator of the NGO in Zinder, discusses these events, contacted by telephone by Magali Lagrange from the Africa editorial team. “ Armed elements who belonged to one of the factions in Libya burst into the camps where Nigerien migrants are housed. They were all grouped together in a camp where they suffered acts of torture and bullying. A Nigerien wanted to escape. He was intercepted and subjected to acts of torture which cost him his life.
The other companions in misfortune were taken to unknown places. (Some) were released because most of the compatriots in Libya work in the gardens, in the workshops, in the construction sites. They have Libyan bosses who, in this type of situation, intervene to free our compatriots. But these free compatriots are worried about the fate of their comrades of whom they have no news today. »
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In the past, the NGO has already documented cases of kidnappings for ransom of Nigerien migrants in Libya. But this time, she ignores the reasons for what she describes as extrajudicial arrests.
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