A Swiss national was kidnapped Sunday evening in the city of Agadez, in northern Niger, according to information from “Aïr Info”. The woman, installed in the region with her Nigerian husband, was allegedly abducted at their home between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. His place of detention remains unknown at this stage.
According to local media, the 67 -year -old victim was born in Lebanon and lived in Algeria, where he was playing in the tourism sector. Linguist and ethnologist by training, she engaged in handicrafts and would have founded a non -profit organization.
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE) has confirmed on social networks being aware of the situation. “The Swiss representation in Niamey is in contact with the local authorities,” read. No additional information can be communicated at this stage, for reasons of confidentiality.
It is not the first time that such an event has upset the region: on January 11, an Austrian citizen engaged in humanitarian aid had been removed in this same city. On January 18, four Moroccan truck drivers also disappeared near Téra, in the three borders zone between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. According to RFI, suspicions turn to the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS), a jihadist group well established in the region, which claimed these recent disappearances.
