France’s Foreign Ministry says French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger

PARIS (AP) — France’s Foreign Ministry says that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and is calling for his immediate release. Military officers in Niger deposed elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July and later ordered French officials to leave the country _ an order that France has refused to heed, saying that Niger’s junta is not the country’s legitimate authority. The French Foreign Ministry says on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that Stephane Jullien, a counsellor for French citizens abroad, was arrested last Friday. The ministry is calling for  “immediate release” of Jullien, who is not a diplomat.