The government of Niger has summoned Niccolita Avella, the acting head of the European Union mission in Niamey, in response to a recent resolution from the European Parliament which calls for the immediate release of former President Mohammed Bazoum, who has been detained since a coup in July 2023. The Nigerien Foreign Ministry handed over a formal protest note, denouncing what it describes as a 'Western paternalistic intervention' in its internal affairs, and emphasized that Niger will not accept any directives from external sources. This stance reflects the ongoing tensions between Niger's military authorities and the European Union, which has expressed concern over the ongoing political situation in the country.