Niger Accuses France of "Ingratitude" Over Expulsion of Two Officers Accused of Spying

Niamey has condemned Paris for expelling two Nigerien officers, calling it a grave and unacceptable act of ingratitude.

Justice Minister Alio Daouda made the statement on state television RTN on the evening of 13 October. He denounced the expulsion of two Nigerien officers and their families. Niamey describes both men as "security officials." Daouda said one of them was gravely wounded during a mission. The Télé Sahel broadcaster says the mission took place in Diffa, in the southeast.

The minister said the wounded officer had been evacuated to France for treatment and should have received recognition and protection there. Instead, he was declared persona non grata on 16 September 2026.

His family had 48 hours to leave, and he left France on 19 September. Daouda added that the officer, identified as M. Toro, had received an order to leave French territory and challenged it in a French court.

Daouda asked whether a wounded, mutilated man, no longer fit for service, could be driven out of a cooperation that France itself ordered and paid for. He promised that Niger "will not be silent." France had not responded to the statement at the time of reporting.

What Paris alleges
One outlet reports that the two officers worked at Niger's embassy in Paris and were declared persona non grata on 16 September 2026. It cites an unnamed source saying one of them had been monitoring Nigerien opposition figures living in France, and that intelligence cooperation between the two countries had ended.

This comes from a single anonymous source and I could not confirm it elsewhere, so treat it with caution. I also found no official French statement on the reasons.

Background
Relations between the two countries have been tense since the July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. In August 2023, the junta ordered police to expel France's ambassador. France said the officers who seized power had no authority to do so.

France had intervened in the fight against jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have carried out deadly attacks in Niger for a decade.

In September 2025, France also ordered two Malian intelligence officials to leave, which brings the number of Sahelian officers removed to four.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880

Credit DW Hausa
Sources
Boursorama/AFP, "Expulsion de deux agents nigériens par la France," 14 Oct 2026: https://www.boursorama.com/actualite-economique/actualites/expulsion-de-deux-agents-nigeriens-par-la-france-niamey-denonce-un-acte-d-ingratitude-grave-c15ffe441fe959878df3b44d24dd6b36

La Nouvelle Tribune, "Le Niger dénonce « l'ingratitude » de la France," Oct 2026: https://lanouvelletribune.info/2026/10/le-niger-denonce-lingratitude-de-la-france-apres-lexpulsion-de-ses-agents/

The Destination, "Niger Intelligence Officers Expelled as France Loses Sahel Security Ties": https://dailythedestination.com/niger-intelligence-officers-expelled-as-france-loses-sahel-security-ties/

Al Jazeera, "Niger's military rulers order police to expel French ambassador," 31 Aug 2023: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/31/nigers-military-rulers-order-police-to-expel-french-ambassador