The Nigerien military government has banned the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from carrying out its observation mission in the country.

The ban which was announced via a radio broadcast by the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security also ordered regional governors to enforce it.

There was no further explanation or reasons stated for the ban but sources say senior government officials have questioned the relevance of such a mission in Niger.

It is worth noting that the UNDP’s mission was to assess the security situation in Niger, a country battling a deadly insurgency, a radical economic crisis, and climate change among others.