The Niger government is still without news of the top UN official in the country, Canadian Robert Fowler, who disappeared three days ago west of the capital, the government spokesman said Wednesday.
Mohamed Ben Omar told AFP he had no news of Fowler, the UN envoy to Niger who disappeared Sunday along with another Canadian diplomat and their driver, and that searches were still continuing.
The men disappeared some 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of the capital Niamey around Tillaberi, the very region where Niger will celebrate its 50th anniversary of independence Thursday.
Ben Omar said the men appeared to have disappeared after visiting Samira, a gold mining site of which Canada's Etruscan Resources is co-owner. Getting to Samira from Niamey entails crossing the Niger river by ferry.
The minister said the men's car was found on the Niamey side of the river close to the jetty for the ferry, implying they had been to Samira and were on their way back to the capital at the time of their disappearence.
Inside the car were three phones, a camera and a jacket.
Exceptional security measures were in place along the Niamey-Tillaberi road, in view of the anniversary celebrations, Ben Omar said.
The minister said Fowler's official UN vehicle was followed by a car with Togolese numberplates when it left Niamey. This second car has not been found.
On Tuesday the Restoration Forces Front (FFR), a Niger Tuareg rebel group, claimed on its website that it had kidnapped the Canadians.
However a few hours later the head of the FFR in a telephone interview with AFP denied that his group was responsible.
Source: AFP American Edition
