Niger 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report
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Niger 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Niamey. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Niger. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s Niger country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Travel Advisory The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Niger at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel to Niger due to crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. Avoid travel to Niger’s border regions, particularly the Malian border area, Diffa region, and the Lake Chad region due to terrorism. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threats The U.S. Department of State has assessed Niamey as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Crime occurs at all hours in Niger. Non-violent crimes (e.g. pickpocketing, purse snatching, backpack/cell phone theft) are present in major cities, notably in/around places where Westerners gather. Within Niamey, avoid the Night Market; criminals loiter in the area, which is notorious for pickpocketing, purse snatching, mugging, and assaults. Other markets, the area around the Gaweye and Grand Hotels, the National Museum, and Kennedy Bridge are also high-risk areas. Review OSAC’s reports, All That You Should Leave Behind. Violent crimes (e.g. muggings, assaults) are not as common as non-violent crimes, and typically occur after dark. Assailants may be aggressive and display a weapon during a robbery; knives are the most frequently employed weapon, as some Nigeriens carry knives or machetes as part of their normal dress. Vehicle thefts are prevalent in Niamey. Most carjackings reported to police occur along Niger’s southern border which has seen a rise in criminality especially in the Maradi and Zinder regions. There has been an overall decrease in residential robbery in Niamey. Home invasions and residential robberies occur primarily after dark and can be violent. In 2019, there have been incidents in which assailants attacked residential guards or occupants. Although thieves typically choose to rob homes without visible residential security measures, these measures have not stopped robbers in some cases, including those targeting diplomat and NGO residences. In addition, there have been numerous reports of commercial and NGO office robberies. Review OSAC’s reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. Cybersecurity Issues Due to the lack of cyber infrastructure and the relatively low rate of internet penetration, the prevalence of cybercrime is thought to be low. However, information on cybercrime trends in Niger may be lacking due to the limited abilities of Niger’s security forces and law enforcement officials to track, investigate, and prevent cybercrime. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? Transportation-Safety Situation Road Safety and Road Conditions Road conditions in major cities are hazardous. While there are some paved roads in Niamey, most residential streets are dirt or sand. Niamey’s roundabouts are often sources of congestion; different traffic circles have different rules of priority, which contribute to the high incidence of traffic accidents. Drivers can be aggressive and often disregard the rules of the road. Motorcycles inundate the roads in Niamey. Motorcycle accidents occur frequently; many result in fatalities. The substantial number of motorcycles, bicycles, vendor carts, broken-down vehicles, beggars, and pedestrians on the streets makes driving a challenge. In addition, livestock (e.g. camels, cattle, goats) wander in the streets. Traffic police are present at large intersections, and conduct law enforcement checks at numerous points. Police are generally professional, but some traffic officers attempt to extort money from drivers. Respect all tollbooths (péages) at city limits on major roads. At a péage, the driver will receive a receipt of toll payment; maintain your receipt for the return trip on the same road. Despite the overt presence of traffic police, there are frequent vehicle accidents and road hazards that pose a risk for motorist safety. Do not use headlights during the day; except in emergencies, only police and military vehicles may do so. Do not use horns after dark. Pull over for official motorcades or military convoys with headlights on, public emergency vehicles with sirens on, and funeral processions. Accidents involving minor damage generally only require an exchange of insurance information. However, accidents involving more serious damage or injuries, or where there is any dispute over insurance or who is at fault, will require police involvement. In any accident where the police are involved, do not move vehicles before the police arrive. Transit routes linking Niamey to neighboring countries are focal points for smuggling and other criminal activities, including carjacking and armed banditry. Daytime highway robberies have occurred, but are much less frequent than nighttime criminality. There have been incidents of carjacking on the main east- west road (Highway N1) along the Nigerian border. Most incidents of banditry involve the use of firearms; assailants are not afraid to use violence when victims show resistance. Most attacks occur at dusk, after dark, or in the very early morning hours. Foreigners traveling beyond Niamey’s city limits must carry their car registration and personal identification documents. Carry first-aid supplies, a local cellular or satellite phone, water, and a monitored personal tracking locator (if possible) in all vehicles. Travel outside Niamey and other cities often requires four-wheel-drive vehicles. The U.S. Government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in remote and rural areas, as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel outside Niamey due to security concerns. Outside of Niamey, all U.S. Embassy personnel may travel only during daylight hours in a minimum two-vehicle convoy accompanied by armed Nigerien government security escorts. Nigerien authorities do reserve the right to restrict travel based on the security situation along any intended route. The security climate in Niger can change quickly, and Nigerien authorities may decide to take additional security measures. Following the murder of a French tourist in Agadez in 2005, the Nigerien government began requiring NGOs to register and inform the government of each trip they plan to take. To avoid detention and/or expulsion by authorities, NGO workers should abide by the following standard operating procedures: Make sure that your NGO has received official recognition from the government. Visit the Managing Office of Decentralized Cooperation and Non-Governmental Organizations (Direction de la Coopération Décentralisée et des Organisations Non Governementales) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Ministère des Affaires Étrangères et de la Coopération). If your international NGO sponsor is without a permanent presence in Niger, verify that your NGO has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation at least two weeks prior to the start of a mission. This notice should be in writing and should include the purpose of the mission, the dates of the mission, where the mission will take place, and the types and license plate numbers of the vehicles involved. Copy the Interior Ministry on this notice. If your NGO is headquartered in Niger, verify that your group has informed the Ministry of Planning, Land Management, and Community Development (Ministère du Plan, de l’Aménagement du Territoire et du Développement Communautaire) at least two weeks prior to the start of a mission. This notice must be in writing and include the purpose of the mission, the names of the individuals who will be working for the NGO on the mission, the dates of the mission, where the mission will take place, and the types and license plate numbers of the vehicles involved. Copy the Interior Ministry on this notice. Ask for a receipt of any notification provided to a Ministry. Carry a copy of the official recognition (Arrêté) of the right of your NGO to operate in Niger. Prior to beginning a mission in Niger, NGO workers should present themselves at the regional governor’s office. NGO workers should ask for a receipt of the documents they present to the governor (or highest- ranking official available). Provide the governor with the same written notification you provided to the required ministries. Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad. Public Transportation Conditions Avoid taxis. U.S. Embassy personnel may not use taxis, which pose multiple hazards. Taxi drivers are notorious for driving erratically, and may stop quickly to pick up additional passengers. The government does not regulate or vet taxis. Vehicles lack proper maintenance, do not meet Western safety standards, and are prone to breakdown. Inter-city “bush-taxis” are available at negotiable fares, but these vehicles are generally older, unsafe models that are overloaded, poorly maintained, and driven by reckless operators seeking to save time and money. A national bus company (SNTV) operates coaches on inter-city routes, provides reliable service, and has experienced no major accidents. Air Transport, Rimbo, and Garba Messagé are private bus companies operating in Niger. Concerns exist regarding the youth of drivers and the speed with which the private buses travel. Hitchhiking is not a recommended form of transportation.