Seven election workers were killed during Niger’s presidential vote on Sunday when their vehicle struck a landmine.
A vehicle belonging to the electoral commission carrying election workers to their polling stations hit a mine in the rural commune of Dargol in the southwest, said Harouna Mounkaila, the vice president of CENI’s local branch.
Dargol is about 80 kilometers border with Mali.
In the capital Niamey, the vote appeared to go smoothly. President Mahamadou Issoufou, who is stepping down after two five-year terms, hailed the historic nature of the election in a country that has seen four coups since independence from France in 1960.
Niger’s presidential candidate Mohamed Bazoum prepares to cast his vote at the polling station during Niger’s election run.
Niger’s presidential candidate Mohamed Bazoum prepares to cast his vote at the polling station during Niger’s election runoff, in Niamey, Feb. 21, 2021.
The 61-year-old Bazoum has vowed to continue Issoufou’s policies to crack down on militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State
