Lawyers in Niger have declared a two-day strike for Thursday and Friday in protest against the military government’s dissolution of the country’s justice unions, a move they say undermines judicial independence.
The junta, which seized power in a July 2023 coup in the jihadist-hit Sahel nation, last week dissolved five judicial unions. Interior Minister General Mohamed Toumba announced the measure, while Justice Minister Alio Daouda defended it, accusing the unions of “dragging everyone down” and “promoting personal interests.”
On Tuesday, Niger’s bar association condemned the dissolution and called for the “immediate and unconditional re-establishment” of the unions.
“By announcing the dissolution of the judicial unions, the government aims to silence those who, through their mission, ensure the independence of the justice system,” the bar said in a statement.
One of the affected groups, the influential Autonomous Syndicate of the Magistrates of Niger (SAMAN), said on Wednesday it had “already filed appeals against the interior minister’s nefarious decree.”
“Justice must not be held hostage by any power,” the union said.
The junta has also dissolved three other unions—one representing border guards and two for workers in the water and forestry sectors—whose members are among the security personnel deployed in the fight against the country’s jihadist insurgency.
Niger has faced regular attacks for more than a decade from fighters linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, with the military government struggling to contain the violence.
