Three Nigeriens at the center of a diplomatic dispute were handed 18-month suspended jail sentences on Monday, by a Benin Court
Since last year’s coup ousted Nigerien President Mohammed Bazoum, Benin and Niger have had a strained relationship.
Benin’s Atlantic port of Seme-Kpodji, which exports landlocked Niger’s oil, has become a flashpoint.
Earlier in the month, five Nigeriens were arrested at the Seme-Kpodji on the allegation of illegal entry into the port.
An AFP correspondent said on Monday, that Benin’s Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET) sentenced three of them to 18 months in a suspended prison sentence.
Moumouni Hadiza Ibra, Deputy General Director of Wapco-Niger –a local affiliate of a Chinese company operating a pipeline from Niger to Benin’s coast was jailed alongside two of her compatriots after their initial arrest.
The court on Monday reclassified the charges as “usurpation of title and use of falsified computer data.”
The defendants’ lawyers denied all the charges. Benin closed its borders following regional sanctions imposed on Niger after last year’s coup. It has since reopened its side of the frontier. Niger’s military rulers have refused to reopen their side.
Beninese President Patrice Talon had long held that loading of Nigerien oil from Benin’s port would be put on hold until the border is reopened.
The junta said the arrested team was on a mission to Benin to oversee the loading of oil.
Niamey described the arrests as a “kidnapping” and said it was ready to “take all measures” to have them released “unconditionally.”