In November 2021, the passage of a convoy from Barkhane to Niger led to violence and the death of three young people. The investigation opened following these deaths did not make it possible to identify clear responsibilities, but France and Niger announced that they were going to compensate the victims.
With our correspondent in Niamey, Moussa Kaka
On November 27, 2021, a convoy of the French Barkhane force, bound for Gao in Mali, was attacked by young demonstrators while crossing the Nigerien town of Tera. This attempt to block the passage of this convoy resulted in the death of three young people, while 17 other people were injured, including Nigerien gendarmes and French soldiers.
An investigation was opened by the Nigerien gendarmerie and the French army under pressure from civil society organizations and the opposition. Today, the results of the investigation have not made it possible to clearly identify what really happened. Niger and France have therefore decided to compensate the families of the victims as well as the injured.
The press release issued by the acting Minister of the Interior states that ” the exploitation of the results of the investigation by the gendarmerie of Niger and the French army which did not make it possible to identify the exact development of events which caused the death of three civilians and the injuries of the demonstrators, Niger and France have decided to jointly provide compensation to the families of the victims, as well as to the injured. » « The two partscontinues the press release, have agreed to compensation in equal parts. »
Contacts have been made with the traditional religious authorities of Tera, as well as with the representatives of the victims. The amounts of compensation were agreed for each of the victims, but without specifying the amount. For this amicable settlement according to Nigerien religious traditions, the amounts due to the beneficiaries were transferred to bank accounts communicated by the representatives of the families concerned.
While saluting the memory of the deceased, Niger and France welcome their collaboration in this particularly sensitive matter and are delighted with the solution found.