Niger coup leaders repeal law against migrant smuggling - BBC News

The legislation allowed police to take action against smugglers taking migrants to Europe.

9 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsSahel Islamist insurgencyImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, This photo from 2019 shows a group of migrant men resting before carrying on their journey across the deserts of northern NigerBy Chris Ewokor & Sam HancockBBC News, Abuja and LondonCoup leaders in Niger have overturned an eight-year-old law criminalising migrant smuggling in the country.

The legislation allowed authorities to take action against smugglers who transported migrants through Niger's vast desert on to Libya and Europe.

But President Mohamed Bazoum - who had worked with the EU to stem the flow of people across the Mediterranean - was overthrown in July in a coup.

Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani has since declared himself the new head of state.

His ruling junta announced the repeal in a statement, saying the law "did not take into account the interests of Niger and its citizens".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-67550481?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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