Niger Citizens Demand Special Tribunal to Try Orano and Secure Reparations

Niamey, December 11, 2025 - A growing wave of citizen mobilization in Niger is challenging historical ties with the former French colonial power and foreign companies that have exploited the country’s natural resources. At the center of these protests is uranium mining, a longstanding source of political, social, and environmental tensions.

The Revolutionary Front for African Sovereignty (FRSA) has called for the creation of a special national tribunal to try the French company Orano and other French actors accused of crimes committed during and after the colonial period, describing these actions as “crimes against humanity”. The movement insists that such cases fall solely under Nigerien jurisdiction, invoking national sovereignty as the legal basis for the tribunal.

The organization specifically cites the illegal storage of radioactive materials on Nigerien soil as one of the most egregious violations. It urges the authorities to resist pressure from what it calls “colonial and imperialist jurisdictions”, stressing that a national court is the only framework capable of delivering fair justice and ending the alleged impunity of foreign actors.

This appeal follows the December 2 announcement by Nigerien authorities of their intention to initiate legal proceedings against Orano and seek reparations. The discovery of 400 barrels containing radioactive drill cores in the Arlit department has reignited public outrage and reinforced accusations of serious environmental negligence.

For many observers and residents, the case highlights decades of resource plundering at the expense of public health and environmental safety. Exposed radioactive waste poses a major threat to communities and leads to long-term soil and groundwater contamination.

Today, the main demand is clear: justice, reparations, and the return of strategic resources. The creation of a special tribunal is seen as a decisive step toward genuine national sovereignty in Niger.