1 00:00:02,293 --> 00:00:05,588 [♪ suspenseful music plays] 2 00:00:05,672 --> 00:00:08,008 [Mariana van Zeller] Back in September of 2001, 3 00:00:08,091 --> 00:00:10,176 I was a student at Columbia's Journalism School 4 00:00:10,260 --> 00:00:12,721 in New York, 5 00:00:12,804 --> 00:00:16,016 when the world as we knew it changed. 6 00:00:16,558 --> 00:00:19,227 [♪ suspenseful music plays] 7 00:00:25,316 --> 00:00:28,403 As one of the few Portuguese journalists in New York, 8 00:00:28,486 --> 00:00:31,740 I was asked by a network in Lisbon to go live from the city. 9 00:00:31,823 --> 00:00:36,536 [speaking Portuguese]. 10 00:00:36,619 --> 00:00:41,332 [Mariana van Zeller] It was the first time I'd covered terrorism 11 00:00:41,416 --> 00:00:44,836 and it awakened me to the ways that extreme ideologies 12 00:00:44,919 --> 00:00:47,922 festering in distant places can impact 13 00:00:48,006 --> 00:00:50,842 so many in a globalized world. 14 00:00:51,468 --> 00:00:56,389 [overlapping chatter] 15 00:00:57,432 --> 00:00:59,434 [Mariana van Zeller] My experience on 9/11 16 00:00:59,517 --> 00:01:00,935 led to other stories, 17 00:01:01,019 --> 00:01:04,481 investigating terror networks in Syria, Iraq, 18 00:01:04,564 --> 00:01:06,775 Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone... 19 00:01:06,858 --> 00:01:08,234 You see the mine right here? 20 00:01:08,318 --> 00:01:10,361 ...Nigeria and Lebanon. 21 00:01:10,445 --> 00:01:12,822 In the hands of Hezbollah, how careful should we be? 22 00:01:12,906 --> 00:01:15,116 [Rami] Uh, you should be very careful. 23 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,951 [Mariana van Zeller] I've tried to understand how these 24 00:01:17,035 --> 00:01:19,370 groups think, how they recruit, 25 00:01:19,454 --> 00:01:20,455 how they plan. 26 00:01:20,538 --> 00:01:22,332 It goes into the truck, yeah? 27 00:01:22,415 --> 00:01:24,584 And how they fund their operations. 28 00:01:24,667 --> 00:01:26,336 They're making money out of the selling and 29 00:01:26,419 --> 00:01:28,546 out of the transportation of oil. 30 00:01:29,089 --> 00:01:30,965 [interviewee] They collect it from us and sell it 31 00:01:31,049 --> 00:01:33,009 on the black market to the Syrians. 32 00:01:33,343 --> 00:01:35,386 [Mariana van Zeller] And recently, I've heard rumors 33 00:01:35,470 --> 00:01:39,224 of a new funding source, gold. 34 00:01:40,809 --> 00:01:42,393 That's what brought me to Niger. 35 00:01:42,477 --> 00:01:43,895 [gunfire] 36 00:01:43,978 --> 00:01:45,438 [bystander] Allahu Akbar! 37 00:01:45,522 --> 00:01:47,565 [Mariana van Zeller] I came here to learn how this dangerous 38 00:01:47,649 --> 00:01:51,736 trade works and how terrorists are profiting. 39 00:01:54,989 --> 00:01:57,867 But then, the world shifted once again. 40 00:01:57,951 --> 00:01:59,702 Hi, can you hear me? 41 00:01:59,786 --> 00:02:01,204 The communication is really bad. 42 00:02:01,287 --> 00:02:02,288 Communication is really bad. 43 00:02:02,372 --> 00:02:03,373 I'm sorry. 44 00:02:03,456 --> 00:02:04,457 [phone disconnects] 45 00:02:04,541 --> 00:02:06,084 [bleep]. 46 00:02:06,626 --> 00:02:07,752 [Darren Foster on phone] Hello? 47 00:02:07,836 --> 00:02:09,379 [Mariana van Zeller] Yes, so we just got word that there was 48 00:02:09,462 --> 00:02:13,633 a military coup, and basically it just happened a few hours ago 49 00:02:13,716 --> 00:02:16,427 in the capital. 50 00:02:16,511 --> 00:02:19,389 And we're just waiting for, for word on what to do. 51 00:02:19,472 --> 00:02:20,890 We're not sure. 52 00:02:20,974 --> 00:02:22,433 [inaudible]. 53 00:02:22,517 --> 00:02:23,685 [Mariana van Zeller] What's that? 54 00:02:23,768 --> 00:02:26,020 Sorry, the, the connection. 55 00:02:26,104 --> 00:02:27,730 [phone disconnects] 56 00:02:29,732 --> 00:02:31,693 Yeah, and now it's not even going through. 57 00:02:31,776 --> 00:02:33,236 We have no idea what's happening. 58 00:02:33,319 --> 00:02:35,530 We're all really on edge and it doesn't look like 59 00:02:35,613 --> 00:02:37,115 it's very safe for us to stay here. 60 00:02:37,198 --> 00:02:40,660 [♪ theme music plays]. 61 00:02:53,965 --> 00:02:59,554 [singing foreign language]. 62 00:02:59,637 --> 00:03:05,351 [♪ upbeat music plays] 63 00:03:15,862 --> 00:03:17,614 [Mariana van Zeller] So, we're basically driving right 64 00:03:17,697 --> 00:03:18,740 in the middle of the Sahara. 65 00:03:18,823 --> 00:03:21,242 There's no, like, actual real roads here. 66 00:03:21,326 --> 00:03:23,077 And there's just miles and miles of 67 00:03:23,161 --> 00:03:25,955 just emptiness, nothing. 68 00:03:27,749 --> 00:03:30,835 We're in a convoy of three military trucks right now, 69 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:35,715 with about, I don't know, like 20 guys carrying an AK-47, 70 00:03:35,798 --> 00:03:37,800 and they say that that's necessary here, 71 00:03:37,884 --> 00:03:40,887 because there's been an increase in attack in this region. 72 00:03:41,262 --> 00:03:44,557 Niger is one of the most remote and dangerous places 73 00:03:44,641 --> 00:03:46,184 in the world. 74 00:03:46,267 --> 00:03:49,103 The country is part of the Sahel region of Africa, 75 00:03:49,187 --> 00:03:51,314 a region that's become a breeding ground for 76 00:03:51,397 --> 00:03:53,942 the biggest brands in terrorism. 77 00:03:54,025 --> 00:03:57,195 Since the early 2000s, groups like al-Qaeda, 78 00:03:57,278 --> 00:03:58,947 Boko Haram and The Islamic State 79 00:03:59,030 --> 00:04:02,075 have killed tens of thousands of people in the Sahel, 80 00:04:02,158 --> 00:04:03,993 and displaced millions more. 81 00:04:04,077 --> 00:04:05,495 [bystander] Allahu Akbar! 82 00:04:05,578 --> 00:04:07,455 [Mariana van Zeller] It's all part of a violent attempt 83 00:04:07,538 --> 00:04:11,292 to expand their influence and spread their ideology. 84 00:04:11,376 --> 00:04:13,544 But that expansion is costly. 85 00:04:13,628 --> 00:04:17,465 And one newfound commodity here is helping to fuel it. 86 00:04:17,548 --> 00:04:20,093 So, there's been a huge gold rush in Niger in 87 00:04:20,176 --> 00:04:21,886 the past decade and there have been gold mines 88 00:04:21,970 --> 00:04:23,721 popping up all over the country. 89 00:04:23,805 --> 00:04:26,516 We're heading to one of the most recent ones. 90 00:04:34,482 --> 00:04:37,735 I want to know if these recent discoveries of gold are becoming 91 00:04:37,819 --> 00:04:40,947 a hidden source of funding for terror groups, 92 00:04:41,030 --> 00:04:43,533 so I'm starting at the source. 93 00:04:45,326 --> 00:04:47,954 You can start seeing some huts. 94 00:04:48,663 --> 00:04:50,665 You know, you drive in the desert for so long, 95 00:04:50,748 --> 00:04:53,751 you don't see anything and it seems like so out of place. 96 00:04:57,505 --> 00:05:00,133 So here it is. This is it. 97 00:05:00,216 --> 00:05:02,719 The gold Wild West. 98 00:05:04,387 --> 00:05:07,557 [laughter] 99 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:10,727 [Mariana van Zeller] All those holes on the ground, 100 00:05:10,810 --> 00:05:12,020 that's all mines. 101 00:05:12,103 --> 00:05:16,607 So, they're basically going down in, under these holes. 102 00:05:16,691 --> 00:05:19,277 Wow. That is insane. 103 00:05:30,913 --> 00:05:32,123 [Mariana van Zeller] How are you? 104 00:05:33,333 --> 00:05:34,584 Hello, how are you? 105 00:05:34,667 --> 00:05:35,877 [Issifou] Yes, we're fine. 106 00:05:36,085 --> 00:05:37,086 Welcome. 107 00:05:37,170 --> 00:05:38,171 [Mariana van Zeller] I'm Mariana. 108 00:05:38,254 --> 00:05:39,464 [Issifou] Yes, Mariana. Welcome. 109 00:05:39,922 --> 00:05:41,090 Welcome. 110 00:05:41,174 --> 00:05:42,342 [Mariana van Zeller] What's your name? 111 00:05:42,425 --> 00:05:44,052 [Issifou] My name is Issifou. 112 00:05:45,928 --> 00:05:47,930 [Mariana van Zeller] This is a familiar sight throughout 113 00:05:48,014 --> 00:05:51,434 the Sahel, young men prospecting in the desert with 114 00:05:51,517 --> 00:05:54,645 hand tools and little else. 115 00:05:54,729 --> 00:05:57,940 But the reason our army escort is on high alert is 116 00:05:58,024 --> 00:06:01,069 because deadly attacks on mining sites, like this one, 117 00:06:01,152 --> 00:06:03,571 have become alarmingly common. 118 00:06:03,654 --> 00:06:04,864 [Issifou] I'll show you. 119 00:06:04,947 --> 00:06:06,240 Down in the hole over there. 120 00:06:06,616 --> 00:06:08,409 [Mariana van Zeller] In fact, this was one of the only mines 121 00:06:08,493 --> 00:06:11,079 in the entire country that they felt comfortable 122 00:06:11,162 --> 00:06:12,705 with us visiting. 123 00:06:12,789 --> 00:06:14,874 [Mariana van Zeller] In the big one here? 124 00:06:14,957 --> 00:06:16,209 [Issifou] Yeah, here. 125 00:06:16,292 --> 00:06:17,960 We're going into the hole. 126 00:06:18,336 --> 00:06:19,504 [Mariana van Zeller] So he's saying his mine is right here. 127 00:06:19,587 --> 00:06:21,589 But you can see all of these were, 128 00:06:21,672 --> 00:06:24,050 there's a bunch of holes around that are all, 129 00:06:24,133 --> 00:06:26,427 they're all essentially mines. 130 00:06:28,012 --> 00:06:29,013 Oh, wow. 131 00:06:29,097 --> 00:06:30,098 Holy moly. Okay. 132 00:06:30,181 --> 00:06:33,893 This, so this is the entrance to his mine, right here. 133 00:06:34,977 --> 00:06:36,270 Wow. 134 00:06:36,604 --> 00:06:38,398 [Mariana van Zeller] How many meters is it? 135 00:06:38,481 --> 00:06:40,817 [Issifou] It can be more than 100 meters (330 feet). 136 00:06:41,776 --> 00:06:42,985 [Mariana van Zeller] And we can go? 137 00:06:43,069 --> 00:06:44,278 [Issifou] Yeah, we can go look. 138 00:06:44,612 --> 00:06:46,072 [Mariana van Zeller] Oui. 139 00:06:51,244 --> 00:06:53,830 [Issifou] You can go down slowly here, 140 00:06:54,205 --> 00:06:56,165 as there are holes on the other side. 141 00:07:00,420 --> 00:07:02,422 Here we are. 142 00:07:03,631 --> 00:07:05,466 [Mariana van Zeller] Oh, wow, so there's a, one of the guys, 143 00:07:05,550 --> 00:07:07,093 one of the miners that's coming up right now, 144 00:07:07,176 --> 00:07:10,471 so we're at about 60 feet and 145 00:07:10,555 --> 00:07:13,141 we have to go over 200 feet down. 146 00:07:14,851 --> 00:07:19,188 The mine has been blasted with dynamite and dug out by hand. 147 00:07:19,522 --> 00:07:23,192 There are no supports to buttress the walls or ceiling. 148 00:07:24,235 --> 00:07:27,697 And yet, Issifou and his men navigate the shafts without 149 00:07:27,780 --> 00:07:31,993 any safety equipment and just flip flops on their feet. 150 00:07:32,952 --> 00:07:34,412 [groans] 151 00:07:34,495 --> 00:07:36,539 Okay. 152 00:07:36,622 --> 00:07:39,041 Oh, wow, it's getting really, really dark now. 153 00:07:39,125 --> 00:07:40,209 Super dark. 154 00:07:40,293 --> 00:07:41,586 You can barely see anything. 155 00:07:41,669 --> 00:07:43,629 You really do need these headlamps. 156 00:07:43,713 --> 00:07:46,257 All of this is unregulated. 157 00:07:46,340 --> 00:07:48,968 The sense I get from the miners is that the government is 158 00:07:49,051 --> 00:07:51,179 so strapped for resources, 159 00:07:51,262 --> 00:07:53,890 these mines can operate with impunity. 160 00:07:53,973 --> 00:07:56,726 I imagine there's a hope, too, that young men at work in 161 00:07:56,809 --> 00:08:01,022 the mines will be harder targets for terrorists to recruit. 162 00:08:01,105 --> 00:08:03,524 If that sounds rather desperate, it is. 163 00:08:03,608 --> 00:08:07,195 And indicative of the many challenges facing the country. 164 00:08:07,278 --> 00:08:08,362 [Mariana van Zeller] Is it this way? 165 00:08:08,446 --> 00:08:09,655 [Issifou] Yes, it's this way. 166 00:08:09,739 --> 00:08:10,740 [Mariana van Zeller] I mean, come and, come and see this. 167 00:08:10,823 --> 00:08:13,159 This is crazy how deep it gets. 168 00:08:20,374 --> 00:08:22,960 At this point, it's just so steep that we have to go with 169 00:08:23,044 --> 00:08:25,922 our bums down as if it's a slide. 170 00:08:30,468 --> 00:08:31,719 [speaking French] 171 00:08:31,802 --> 00:08:32,803 [Mariana van Zeller] I think we're getting close. 172 00:08:32,887 --> 00:08:35,181 You can start hearing the hammering on the rock here. 173 00:08:35,264 --> 00:08:36,265 [Mariana van Zeller] Is it here? 174 00:08:36,349 --> 00:08:37,350 [Issifou] Here it is. 175 00:08:37,433 --> 00:08:38,434 [Mariana van Zeller] Oh, wow. 176 00:08:38,518 --> 00:08:39,977 Okay, so this is where they're digging right now. 177 00:08:40,061 --> 00:08:42,772 You can see them essentially hitting and 178 00:08:42,855 --> 00:08:44,315 basically digging for gold. 179 00:08:44,398 --> 00:08:46,025 See and then it all goes into these big, 180 00:08:46,108 --> 00:08:49,612 white bags and gets carried up. 181 00:08:49,695 --> 00:08:52,657 It's, uh, really hot here, very hot, 182 00:08:52,740 --> 00:08:54,408 and really dark. 183 00:08:54,492 --> 00:08:56,369 And you could see pieces of, basically, 184 00:08:56,452 --> 00:08:58,162 the ceiling falling down. 185 00:09:00,456 --> 00:09:01,707 [Issifou] Come this way. 186 00:09:01,916 --> 00:09:03,042 [Mariana van Zeller] Oh, wow. 187 00:09:03,125 --> 00:09:04,126 [Issifou] That's it. 188 00:09:04,210 --> 00:09:05,878 There's gold in it, see? 189 00:09:06,379 --> 00:09:07,755 There's gold in it. 190 00:09:08,172 --> 00:09:09,757 [Mariana van Zeller] So this is the vein. 191 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,385 [Issifou] Where it gives colors like that, 192 00:09:13,052 --> 00:09:15,555 we're going to find gold. 193 00:09:15,638 --> 00:09:17,014 Here it is. 194 00:09:17,390 --> 00:09:18,724 [Mariana van Zeller] It's estimated that more than 195 00:09:18,808 --> 00:09:22,645 $5 billion in gold is extracted each year from 196 00:09:22,728 --> 00:09:26,566 small unregulated sites in the Sahel, like this one, 197 00:09:26,649 --> 00:09:29,193 a testament to the sheer willpower 198 00:09:29,277 --> 00:09:31,988 of miners like Issifou. 199 00:09:32,321 --> 00:09:33,990 And, uh, they're, they're telling us that we actually have 200 00:09:34,073 --> 00:09:36,617 to start going up because they, at, at 5:00 p.m., 201 00:09:36,701 --> 00:09:38,911 they start putting dynamites in the mines around, 202 00:09:38,995 --> 00:09:40,997 so there's a risk that this will all collapse. 203 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:42,623 So they're telling us we have to head up. 204 00:09:42,707 --> 00:09:44,709 We have two minutes to get up there. 205 00:09:44,792 --> 00:09:48,129 Okay, okay. 206 00:09:49,338 --> 00:09:52,341 Okay. Okay, let's go, guys. 207 00:09:54,093 --> 00:09:56,846 [speaking French]. 208 00:10:00,683 --> 00:10:04,353 [♪ suspenseful music plays] 209 00:10:07,189 --> 00:10:09,483 [Mariana van Zeller] If they reach a rock that is too hard to 210 00:10:09,567 --> 00:10:12,111 hit by hand, that's when they use the dynamite. 211 00:10:12,194 --> 00:10:14,405 And he says they use it quite frequently. 212 00:10:14,488 --> 00:10:16,157 Every workday at 5:00 p.m., 213 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,951 Issifou and his men set off explosives. 214 00:10:19,035 --> 00:10:20,202 [rumbling] 215 00:10:20,286 --> 00:10:21,537 Whoa, did you hear that? 216 00:10:21,621 --> 00:10:23,164 [Issifou] If it's lit up here, it'll go too fast, 217 00:10:23,247 --> 00:10:24,874 and this will explode. 218 00:10:25,416 --> 00:10:26,584 [Mariana van Zeller] When the dust settles, 219 00:10:26,667 --> 00:10:29,128 they'll descend back into the mine and work late into 220 00:10:29,211 --> 00:10:32,214 the night, hauling out the blasted rock. 221 00:10:32,757 --> 00:10:35,968 Much as I'd like to stay, the gold mines of the Sahel region 222 00:10:36,052 --> 00:10:39,388 are not a place to be caught after dark. 223 00:10:39,472 --> 00:10:42,183 The soldiers escorting us are adamant that we get back to 224 00:10:42,266 --> 00:10:45,686 our camp before nightfall, or risk finding ourselves 225 00:10:45,770 --> 00:10:48,022 in somebody's crosshairs. 226 00:10:48,105 --> 00:10:49,815 [Mariana van Zeller] We've heard that other mines 227 00:10:49,899 --> 00:10:51,567 are being attacked 228 00:10:51,651 --> 00:10:53,611 by terrorists. 229 00:10:53,694 --> 00:10:54,737 [Issifou] Yes, yes. 230 00:10:54,820 --> 00:10:56,781 They want to kill everyone. 231 00:10:57,156 --> 00:10:59,116 Kill, murder people. 232 00:10:59,450 --> 00:11:02,286 They came to a village 233 00:11:02,370 --> 00:11:06,290 and they said everyone had to give them money. 234 00:11:06,707 --> 00:11:07,833 [Mariana van Zeller] Extortion. 235 00:11:07,917 --> 00:11:09,251 [Issifou] If you don't bring the money, 236 00:11:09,335 --> 00:11:11,253 they'll come and kill you all. 237 00:11:11,337 --> 00:11:13,631 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] Last year, 2023, 238 00:11:13,714 --> 00:11:15,675 more than half of all 239 00:11:15,758 --> 00:11:18,844 terrorist related deaths happened in the Sahel. 240 00:11:19,303 --> 00:11:20,805 [Mariana van Zeller] Kiari Liman-Tinguiri has served 241 00:11:20,888 --> 00:11:25,518 as the Nigerian ambassador to the United States since 2021. 242 00:11:25,601 --> 00:11:28,479 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] You have ISIS, you have Al-Qaeda. 243 00:11:28,562 --> 00:11:30,439 To the south we have Boko Haram. 244 00:11:30,523 --> 00:11:34,276 In the north you have JNIM, which is Al-Qaeda affiliate. 245 00:11:34,902 --> 00:11:37,071 Their goal is to try to set up 246 00:11:37,154 --> 00:11:39,907 Islamic State that can be a sanctuary, 247 00:11:39,990 --> 00:11:43,411 a safe haven for their activity against 248 00:11:43,494 --> 00:11:45,079 the rest of the world. 249 00:11:45,162 --> 00:11:47,540 So, they will use gold, 250 00:11:47,623 --> 00:11:50,668 but not just as an end, no. 251 00:11:50,751 --> 00:11:53,087 They will use it as a means. 252 00:11:57,550 --> 00:12:00,177 [Mariana van Zeller] Back in 2002 and 2003, 253 00:12:00,261 --> 00:12:02,471 there were just nine terrorist attacks on 254 00:12:02,555 --> 00:12:04,807 the entire African continent. 255 00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:07,476 Fast forward 20 years to 2022, 256 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:11,564 and that number jumped to 2,737 attacks 257 00:12:11,647 --> 00:12:14,900 in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali alone. 258 00:12:15,693 --> 00:12:18,195 The attacks often entail large groups of terrorists 259 00:12:18,279 --> 00:12:22,199 roaring into villages and mining sites on motorcycles, 260 00:12:22,283 --> 00:12:25,119 and robbing and killing with abandon. 261 00:12:25,202 --> 00:12:28,873 [rapid gunfire] 262 00:12:30,332 --> 00:12:33,419 [Mariana van Zeller] What do you do to maintain security? 263 00:12:34,086 --> 00:12:37,006 [Issifou] My security is praying to God. 264 00:12:37,089 --> 00:12:39,425 God has to protect us, yeah. 265 00:12:39,508 --> 00:12:42,011 Because we have no weapons. 266 00:12:42,595 --> 00:12:46,056 We're here to work. 267 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,602 Because we don't want to go out and commit banditry. 268 00:12:49,685 --> 00:12:54,064 My dream is to secure enough money 269 00:12:54,148 --> 00:12:57,860 to provide a good education for my children 270 00:12:58,194 --> 00:13:00,738 so they can grow up to be good people. 271 00:13:00,821 --> 00:13:02,490 Look how dirty we are. 272 00:13:02,573 --> 00:13:05,910 It's all to save our children and our parents. 273 00:13:08,454 --> 00:13:11,081 [Mariana van Zeller] Ultimately, it's this desperation that keeps 274 00:13:11,165 --> 00:13:14,126 the miners digging, despite all the risks. 275 00:13:18,881 --> 00:13:23,052 [grinding] 276 00:13:26,055 --> 00:13:28,432 [Issifou] This is where we do the work 277 00:13:28,516 --> 00:13:30,267 to remove the gold. 278 00:13:35,272 --> 00:13:37,107 If we've been working in the bush, 279 00:13:37,191 --> 00:13:38,901 we'll bring the rocks here to be crushed, 280 00:13:38,984 --> 00:13:40,277 to get the gold out. 281 00:13:41,070 --> 00:13:43,489 Yeah, it's the machines that work here. 282 00:13:44,156 --> 00:13:50,079 [♪ upbeat music playing] 283 00:13:54,166 --> 00:13:55,459 [Mariana van Zeller] The rocks he brings here generally 284 00:13:55,543 --> 00:13:57,670 yield small amounts of gold. 285 00:13:57,753 --> 00:14:00,089 It's then sold to middlemen for cash, 286 00:14:00,172 --> 00:14:01,882 and the profits split evenly between 287 00:14:01,966 --> 00:14:04,593 the mine's owner and Issifou's crew. 288 00:14:04,927 --> 00:14:06,428 [Issifou] It's not much. 289 00:14:06,512 --> 00:14:08,180 That's it, but it's not much. 290 00:14:08,264 --> 00:14:09,390 [Mariana van Zeller] How much is this? 291 00:14:09,723 --> 00:14:10,891 [Issifou] One gram. 292 00:14:10,975 --> 00:14:12,142 [Mariana van Zeller] So this is a gram of gold basically. 293 00:14:12,226 --> 00:14:14,770 This is after it's, the mercury's been burnt off. 294 00:14:14,854 --> 00:14:18,315 It will be sold for the equivalent of about $60. 295 00:14:18,399 --> 00:14:20,276 It doesn't look like much, but, uh, 296 00:14:20,359 --> 00:14:21,986 this is why all of this is happening. 297 00:14:22,069 --> 00:14:23,821 It's all because of this. 298 00:14:24,989 --> 00:14:27,408 [Issifou] Little by little, one day it becomes a lot. 299 00:14:27,491 --> 00:14:29,368 -This is taken, then transported to Agadez. 300 00:14:29,451 --> 00:14:31,036 [Issifou] Yes, Agadez. 301 00:14:33,163 --> 00:14:34,999 [Mariana van Zeller] The journey from here to Agadez is 302 00:14:35,082 --> 00:14:38,794 100 miles of unpaved and punishing terrain. 303 00:14:39,503 --> 00:14:45,885 [singing in foreign language] 304 00:14:45,968 --> 00:14:47,720 [Mariana van Zeller] But waiting at the end is a city 305 00:14:47,803 --> 00:14:49,555 that serves as a stronghold 306 00:14:49,638 --> 00:14:55,185 of Tuareg people and a crossroads of the Sahel, 307 00:14:55,269 --> 00:14:59,481 where fortunes in ivory, salt, spices, and slaves 308 00:14:59,565 --> 00:15:02,318 have traded hands over the centuries. 309 00:15:02,735 --> 00:15:04,737 [car honking] 310 00:15:06,655 --> 00:15:10,659 Today, it's gold that feeds the local economy. 311 00:15:11,118 --> 00:15:16,582 [clinking] 312 00:15:21,253 --> 00:15:24,256 [sizzling] 313 00:15:27,384 --> 00:15:28,802 Oh, wow. 314 00:15:28,886 --> 00:15:31,263 This is almost 600 grams of gold. 315 00:15:31,347 --> 00:15:34,475 It's worth, uh, $36,000. 316 00:15:34,892 --> 00:15:38,979 This is market day for Clickely, a gold broker who has come to 317 00:15:39,063 --> 00:15:42,775 the forge to melt down ingots that he and his men have bought 318 00:15:42,858 --> 00:15:45,152 from miners like Issifou. 319 00:15:45,235 --> 00:15:48,072 If terrorists are stealing gold, at some point, 320 00:15:48,155 --> 00:15:50,449 they must trade it... 321 00:15:50,532 --> 00:15:51,909 [sizzling] 322 00:15:51,992 --> 00:15:53,869 And I'm hoping Clickely can explain how 323 00:15:53,953 --> 00:15:55,955 and where that happens. 324 00:15:57,289 --> 00:16:00,250 [Mariana van Zeller] So how much gold did you make today? 325 00:16:00,668 --> 00:16:03,003 [Clickely] Just over 200 million (francs). 326 00:16:03,087 --> 00:16:05,172 [Mariana van Zeller] So today alone, he's processed 327 00:16:05,255 --> 00:16:08,801 $333,000 worth of gold here. 328 00:16:08,884 --> 00:16:10,886 That is incredible. 329 00:16:11,345 --> 00:16:13,263 [Mariana van Zeller] So how much profit do you make 330 00:16:13,347 --> 00:16:15,307 from seven kilos? 331 00:16:15,391 --> 00:16:18,519 -Seven kilos. The profit is twenty million (francs). 332 00:16:18,602 --> 00:16:19,603 [Mariana van Zeller] 20 million? 333 00:16:19,687 --> 00:16:23,691 So that's $33,000 that he's made just today from 334 00:16:23,774 --> 00:16:25,776 the golds that he was able to process. 335 00:16:25,859 --> 00:16:27,194 And that's liquid. 336 00:16:27,277 --> 00:16:29,405 Just pure money. 337 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:32,199 Clickely has agreed to speak with us, 338 00:16:32,282 --> 00:16:34,159 but only for a short while. 339 00:16:34,243 --> 00:16:38,455 Especially in a country with poverty as desperate as Niger's, 340 00:16:38,539 --> 00:16:41,083 walking the streets with gold bars is an invitation 341 00:16:41,166 --> 00:16:43,168 to be robbed or killed. 342 00:16:43,252 --> 00:16:45,087 [Mariana van Zeller] Is it dangerous to do things here? 343 00:16:45,212 --> 00:16:46,213 [Clickely] Yes. 344 00:16:47,297 --> 00:16:49,842 But we have weapons, we have guns. 345 00:16:50,175 --> 00:16:52,094 [Mariana van Zeller] Have you ever used the weapon? 346 00:16:53,137 --> 00:16:54,138 [Clickely] Yes. 347 00:16:57,808 --> 00:17:04,398 [♪ suspenseful music plays] 348 00:17:08,569 --> 00:17:13,991 [♪ eerie music playing] 349 00:17:28,380 --> 00:17:30,340 [Mariana van Zeller] Have you ever used the weapon? 350 00:17:30,799 --> 00:17:32,176 [clicks] 351 00:17:32,634 --> 00:17:33,677 [Clickely] Yes. 352 00:17:34,678 --> 00:17:37,014 [Mariana van Zeller] For a bandit? Or what? 353 00:17:37,097 --> 00:17:38,348 [Clickely] For a bandit. 354 00:17:38,432 --> 00:17:39,767 It's normal if you work with gold. 355 00:17:39,850 --> 00:17:41,185 [Mariana van Zeller] So a lot of people here are armed? 356 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,979 [Clickely] There are a lot of guns in this line of work. 357 00:17:44,063 --> 00:17:45,189 That's normal. 358 00:17:46,065 --> 00:17:47,649 [Mariana van Zeller] Have you ever been robbed? 359 00:17:47,733 --> 00:17:48,901 [Clickely] Yes. 360 00:17:49,943 --> 00:17:51,195 [Mariana van Zeller] And how much money? 361 00:17:51,570 --> 00:17:53,113 [Clickely] In total... 362 00:17:57,868 --> 00:17:59,536 [Mariana van Zeller] So many zeros. 363 00:18:02,664 --> 00:18:04,208 [Clickely] 1,220,000,000 (francs) 364 00:18:04,541 --> 00:18:05,667 [Mariana van Zeller] Two million dollars! 365 00:18:05,751 --> 00:18:06,752 -Yes. -$2 million? 366 00:18:06,835 --> 00:18:08,504 -Yes. Yes. -Wow! 367 00:18:08,587 --> 00:18:09,838 [Clickely] That's for sure. 368 00:18:09,922 --> 00:18:11,090 Now I have hired security. 369 00:18:11,173 --> 00:18:12,174 [Mariana van Zeller] Yes? 370 00:18:12,257 --> 00:18:13,258 How many people? 371 00:18:13,342 --> 00:18:14,343 [Clickely] A lot. 372 00:18:14,426 --> 00:18:16,887 Even arriving last night 373 00:18:16,970 --> 00:18:18,097 with this gold, 374 00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:20,432 twenty security cars. 375 00:18:20,516 --> 00:18:21,934 [Mariana van Zeller] Twenty cars? 376 00:18:22,017 --> 00:18:23,018 Really? 377 00:18:23,102 --> 00:18:24,269 [Clickely] Really. 378 00:18:24,353 --> 00:18:25,479 [Mariana van Zeller] Wow. 379 00:18:27,856 --> 00:18:30,275 The Sahel wasn't always this dangerous. 380 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,153 Ironically, it was an American and NATO intervention 381 00:18:33,237 --> 00:18:36,156 in neighboring Libya that created a power vacuum and 382 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,909 opened the floodgates to militants. 383 00:18:40,285 --> 00:18:43,247 [Dr. Stephanie Savell] The problem really arose following 384 00:18:43,330 --> 00:18:46,875 the fall of Gaddafi in 2011 in Libya. 385 00:18:46,959 --> 00:18:48,252 [reporter] This final image, 386 00:18:48,335 --> 00:18:50,921 a violent end for a violent man. 387 00:18:51,004 --> 00:18:52,339 [Dr. Stephanie Savell] The mercenaries who were fighting 388 00:18:52,422 --> 00:18:55,300 for Gaddafi, they looted his weapon stores. 389 00:18:55,384 --> 00:18:57,177 [reporter] Artillery, rockets, missiles, 390 00:18:57,261 --> 00:18:59,513 and chemical weapons agents that 391 00:18:59,596 --> 00:19:01,640 could make a terrorist's head spin. 392 00:19:01,723 --> 00:19:04,351 [Dr. Stephanie Savell] And came down south into Mali. 393 00:19:04,434 --> 00:19:06,270 [Mariana van Zeller] That influx of fighters and weapons 394 00:19:06,353 --> 00:19:10,107 made the Sahel less safe and less stable. 395 00:19:10,190 --> 00:19:13,318 Terrorist groups saw the region's increasing lawlessness 396 00:19:13,402 --> 00:19:16,155 as the perfect place to recruit, train, 397 00:19:16,238 --> 00:19:19,950 and plan attacks, both in Africa and beyond. 398 00:19:20,868 --> 00:19:24,163 Back in Washington, America saw uncomfortable parallels 399 00:19:24,246 --> 00:19:26,331 to Afghanistan and 9/11. 400 00:19:26,415 --> 00:19:28,584 [President Obama] We have to recognize that the threat has 401 00:19:28,667 --> 00:19:32,713 shifted and evolved from the one that came to our shores on 9/11. 402 00:19:34,506 --> 00:19:38,594 With a decade of experience now to draw from, 403 00:19:38,677 --> 00:19:42,639 this is the moment to ask ourselves hard questions, 404 00:19:42,723 --> 00:19:45,601 about the nature of today's threats and 405 00:19:45,684 --> 00:19:47,895 how we should confront them. 406 00:19:47,978 --> 00:19:49,438 [Mariana van Zeller] To try to stem it, 407 00:19:49,521 --> 00:19:54,026 they began pouring humanitarian and military aid into Niger. 408 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,154 So, this is actually one of the largest U.S. military 409 00:19:57,237 --> 00:19:58,989 drone bases in the world, 410 00:19:59,072 --> 00:20:00,824 and we're in the middle of the Sahara Desert, 411 00:20:00,908 --> 00:20:03,035 in the middle of nowhere. 412 00:20:05,204 --> 00:20:08,749 On the outskirts of Agadez is an American military facility 413 00:20:08,832 --> 00:20:11,376 known as Air Base 201. 414 00:20:11,460 --> 00:20:15,005 Finished in 2019 by the U.S. Air Force 415 00:20:15,088 --> 00:20:18,383 at a cost of more than $100 million. 416 00:20:18,759 --> 00:20:21,261 American taxpayers also spend an estimated 417 00:20:21,345 --> 00:20:24,890 20 to $30 million a year to maintain it. 418 00:20:27,059 --> 00:20:29,269 You can see it's all this barbed wire that goes on 419 00:20:29,353 --> 00:20:31,647 for a long time. 420 00:20:33,774 --> 00:20:35,442 There's a bunch of soldiers coming out. 421 00:20:35,525 --> 00:20:37,402 Well-armed. 422 00:20:41,073 --> 00:20:43,158 They want us to stop? Are they asking us to stop? 423 00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:45,202 Should we stop? 424 00:20:45,285 --> 00:20:48,247 I think we were driving too close to the base. 425 00:20:48,330 --> 00:20:49,957 So now we have a couple of, uh, 426 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,668 soldiers coming to ask us questions. 427 00:20:55,879 --> 00:20:56,880 The U.S. has more than 428 00:20:56,964 --> 00:20:59,841 1,000 military personnel stationed in Niger 429 00:20:59,925 --> 00:21:03,804 whose presence, along with drone surveillance and strikes, 430 00:21:03,887 --> 00:21:07,224 are intended to help keep terrorist groups in check. 431 00:21:07,307 --> 00:21:09,101 [explosion] 432 00:21:10,185 --> 00:21:13,230 But lawlessness remains rampant. 433 00:21:13,313 --> 00:21:16,066 Even here, on the perimeter of Base 201, 434 00:21:16,149 --> 00:21:20,445 less than a year ago, a vehicle carrying $40,000 in payroll for 435 00:21:20,529 --> 00:21:24,533 the base was robbed in broad daylight. 436 00:21:25,450 --> 00:21:28,704 So it's understandable why they'd ask us to stop the car. 437 00:21:28,787 --> 00:21:30,372 So we're with National Geographic, 438 00:21:30,455 --> 00:21:31,999 we're a television crew. 439 00:21:32,082 --> 00:21:34,084 I can show you my credential. 440 00:21:34,167 --> 00:21:36,628 After a few questions, they let us go. 441 00:21:36,712 --> 00:21:38,463 [soldier] Go, go. 442 00:21:43,135 --> 00:21:44,761 [Mariana van Zeller] Our plan was now to move closer to 443 00:21:44,845 --> 00:21:47,931 the capital, Niamey, to further investigate gold 444 00:21:48,015 --> 00:21:49,975 and terror connections. 445 00:21:51,059 --> 00:21:54,146 When we came to Niger, we knew that the gold trade was just 446 00:21:54,229 --> 00:21:58,692 one facet of a bigger story, about America's ongoing strategy 447 00:21:58,775 --> 00:22:01,236 for combating Islamic terrorists, 448 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,447 and its battle with other global powers 449 00:22:03,530 --> 00:22:05,741 for influence in the region. 450 00:22:05,824 --> 00:22:08,910 But not in our wildest dreams did we expect 451 00:22:08,994 --> 00:22:11,121 what would happen next. 452 00:22:14,124 --> 00:22:18,462 [phone line ringing] 453 00:22:19,212 --> 00:22:20,255 [Darren Foster on phone] Hello? 454 00:22:20,339 --> 00:22:21,340 [Mariana van Zeller] Hi, can you hear me? 455 00:22:21,423 --> 00:22:24,009 The communication is really bad. Communication is really bad. 456 00:22:24,092 --> 00:22:25,093 I'm sorry. 457 00:22:25,177 --> 00:22:26,178 [phone disconnects] 458 00:22:26,261 --> 00:22:27,763 [bleep]. 459 00:22:29,306 --> 00:22:32,684 [phone line ringing] 460 00:22:32,768 --> 00:22:33,769 -Hello? -Yes. 461 00:22:33,852 --> 00:22:34,978 [Mariana van Zeller] So, we just got word that there was 462 00:22:35,062 --> 00:22:37,230 a military coup in the country. 463 00:22:37,314 --> 00:22:39,566 Just got back to the hotel and finally got access 464 00:22:39,649 --> 00:22:41,318 to cell phone service. 465 00:22:41,401 --> 00:22:43,320 And basically, it just happened a few hour, 466 00:22:43,403 --> 00:22:45,989 a couple of hours ago in the, in the capital, um, 467 00:22:46,073 --> 00:22:49,159 and we're just waiting for, for word on what to do. 468 00:22:49,242 --> 00:22:50,494 We're not sure. 469 00:22:50,577 --> 00:22:53,080 Um, right, you know, right now, we're in Agadez. 470 00:22:53,163 --> 00:22:54,414 [inaudible]. 471 00:22:54,498 --> 00:22:55,999 [Mariana van Zeller] What's that? 472 00:22:56,083 --> 00:22:58,126 Sorry, the, the connection. 473 00:22:58,210 --> 00:22:59,628 [phone disconnects] 474 00:23:02,089 --> 00:23:04,424 Yeah, and now it's not even going through. 475 00:23:05,675 --> 00:23:08,095 [reporter] Tonight, chaos in the capital of Niger... 476 00:23:08,178 --> 00:23:09,429 [rapid gunfire] 477 00:23:09,513 --> 00:23:11,431 After what appears to be a coup attempt against 478 00:23:11,515 --> 00:23:15,268 President Mohamed Bazoum by his own security forces. 479 00:23:15,352 --> 00:23:22,150 [speaking foreign language]. 480 00:23:22,234 --> 00:23:23,652 [Lester Holt] In addition to growing threats 481 00:23:23,735 --> 00:23:24,778 from terror groups. 482 00:23:24,861 --> 00:23:26,405 [reporter] The U.S. is calling for the president 483 00:23:26,488 --> 00:23:28,657 to be released immediately. 484 00:23:28,740 --> 00:23:30,659 [reporter] Officers were closing the country's borders 485 00:23:30,742 --> 00:23:32,202 and establishing a curfew. 486 00:23:32,285 --> 00:23:34,579 [speaking foreign language]. 487 00:23:34,663 --> 00:23:37,374 [reporter] Niger is a key security ally for 488 00:23:37,457 --> 00:23:38,792 the U.S. in the region. 489 00:23:38,875 --> 00:23:40,919 [correspondent] This does not bode well at all. 490 00:23:42,003 --> 00:23:43,004 [Mariana van Zeller] Kamil? 491 00:23:43,088 --> 00:23:44,923 -Hello? -Hey, Mariana here. 492 00:23:45,006 --> 00:23:46,383 [Mariana van Zeller] We got the news and it's, uh, 493 00:23:46,466 --> 00:23:48,677 I think we're all a little bit on edge here. 494 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:49,761 We're all very nervous. 495 00:23:49,845 --> 00:23:51,513 How are you doing? 496 00:23:52,180 --> 00:23:53,265 [Kamil Abdoulaye Algoumaret] The situation is very 497 00:23:53,348 --> 00:23:54,474 tense and confused. 498 00:23:54,641 --> 00:23:55,642 [Mariana van Zeller] And what do you, what do you mean? 499 00:23:55,725 --> 00:23:56,726 What is happening in the capital? 500 00:23:56,810 --> 00:23:57,811 [phone disconnects] 501 00:23:57,894 --> 00:23:58,895 Oh, [bleep]. 502 00:23:58,979 --> 00:23:59,980 [phone line ringing] 503 00:24:00,063 --> 00:24:01,064 Hi, can you hear me? 504 00:24:01,148 --> 00:24:02,482 -Hello, sorry. -So, what happened exactly? 505 00:24:02,566 --> 00:24:03,608 [Mariana van Zeller] Can you tell me? 506 00:24:03,692 --> 00:24:05,819 [Kamil Abdoulaye Algoumaret] We went to the presidency, 507 00:24:05,902 --> 00:24:07,654 they do some shoots- 508 00:24:07,737 --> 00:24:08,738 [Mariana van Zeller] Oh, wow. So, there were some 509 00:24:08,822 --> 00:24:11,324 shots fired, right, on the streets of, of the capital? 510 00:24:11,408 --> 00:24:13,076 [phone disconnects] 511 00:24:17,247 --> 00:24:19,416 So yeah, I think, we have no idea what's happening. 512 00:24:19,499 --> 00:24:23,295 We're all really on edge and waiting to hear what to do next. 513 00:24:23,378 --> 00:24:26,298 It doesn't look like it's very safe for us to stay here. 514 00:24:32,596 --> 00:24:34,181 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] I was here in D.C. 515 00:24:34,556 --> 00:24:35,807 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] I received calls and 516 00:24:35,891 --> 00:24:38,351 WhatsApp message and, uh. 517 00:24:38,727 --> 00:24:41,021 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] people telling me something 518 00:24:41,104 --> 00:24:43,273 is happening around the presidency. 519 00:24:43,356 --> 00:24:44,608 So I called the president, 520 00:24:44,691 --> 00:24:48,278 he told me, "Yes, that's the situation we are in." 521 00:24:49,571 --> 00:24:51,948 [reporter] Demonstrators who support the president scampered 522 00:24:52,032 --> 00:24:53,700 as gunshots rang out. 523 00:24:53,783 --> 00:24:56,369 [reporter] Why this coup is happening is unclear. 524 00:24:56,453 --> 00:24:57,621 [reporter] They've closed the country's borders and 525 00:24:57,704 --> 00:25:01,041 they've closed the airspace, so no flights are coming or going. 526 00:25:01,791 --> 00:25:04,211 [reporter] What was a fragile democracy, 527 00:25:04,294 --> 00:25:06,463 now appears to be heading towards full blown 528 00:25:06,546 --> 00:25:08,465 military dictatorship. 529 00:25:09,799 --> 00:25:11,593 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] Everything can happen in 530 00:25:11,676 --> 00:25:13,595 the immediate after-coup. 531 00:25:13,678 --> 00:25:15,722 I was scared for the president, 532 00:25:15,805 --> 00:25:17,807 for his life, for his family. 533 00:25:18,266 --> 00:25:21,394 And I was scared also for the people. 534 00:25:21,811 --> 00:25:28,693 [speaking French]. 535 00:25:31,112 --> 00:25:32,822 [Mariana van Zeller] So the president is still being 536 00:25:32,906 --> 00:25:34,324 detained by the military? 537 00:25:34,407 --> 00:25:35,408 [Baba Toure] Yes. 538 00:25:35,492 --> 00:25:37,369 The president are detained by the militaries. 539 00:25:37,452 --> 00:25:39,329 [Mariana van Zeller] Baba Toure is our local producer, 540 00:25:39,412 --> 00:25:40,705 who's originally from Mali. 541 00:25:40,789 --> 00:25:42,165 [phone chiming] 542 00:25:42,249 --> 00:25:44,376 [Baba Toure] Sorry, sorry. 543 00:25:44,459 --> 00:25:45,877 [Mariana van Zeller] Are you getting a lot of messages 544 00:25:45,961 --> 00:25:46,962 from your family and people? 545 00:25:47,045 --> 00:25:48,046 [Baba Toure] Yeah. Yeah. 546 00:25:48,129 --> 00:25:49,130 -Worried? -I get, yes. 547 00:25:49,214 --> 00:25:51,049 [Baba Toure] Since yesternight, my family called me. 548 00:25:51,132 --> 00:25:52,133 [Mariana van Zeller] Mm-hmm. 549 00:25:52,217 --> 00:25:53,635 [Baba Toure] Friends, they try to know, 550 00:25:53,718 --> 00:25:56,721 they try to know if I'm fine, if everything is good. 551 00:25:56,805 --> 00:25:58,431 Everybody is worried, yeah. 552 00:25:58,515 --> 00:25:59,933 [Mariana van Zeller] Check these out, the ones responsible 553 00:26:00,016 --> 00:26:01,142 for the coup, yeah? 554 00:26:01,226 --> 00:26:02,602 [Baba Toure] Yeah. 555 00:26:02,936 --> 00:26:05,772 [Mariana van Zeller] I've been a journalist for over 25 years and 556 00:26:05,855 --> 00:26:10,360 this is the first time I've been trapped inside my own story. 557 00:26:11,361 --> 00:26:14,155 Overnight, airspace has been shut down, 558 00:26:14,239 --> 00:26:16,324 and land borders have been closed. 559 00:26:16,408 --> 00:26:18,451 That leaves us in a tight spot. 560 00:26:19,077 --> 00:26:21,329 We came here with army security provided by 561 00:26:21,413 --> 00:26:23,290 President Bazoum's government. 562 00:26:23,373 --> 00:26:25,083 And now that his government is gone, 563 00:26:25,166 --> 00:26:27,127 so is our security. 564 00:26:28,253 --> 00:26:30,380 We're in a small hotel in the desert, 565 00:26:30,463 --> 00:26:33,258 a 500 mile drive from the international airport in 566 00:26:33,341 --> 00:26:37,887 the capital, glued to the tv watching events unfold. 567 00:26:38,513 --> 00:26:40,223 [cheering] 568 00:26:40,307 --> 00:26:42,684 [Mariana van Zeller] This coup is a deep shock for the country 569 00:26:42,767 --> 00:26:44,436 and for the U.S. 570 00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:47,022 It was only four months ago that Antony Blinken made 571 00:26:47,105 --> 00:26:51,192 the first ever official visit by a Secretary of State to Niger. 572 00:26:51,526 --> 00:26:53,194 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] It was historical. 573 00:26:53,278 --> 00:26:56,364 It's a political message to say to the world that 574 00:26:56,448 --> 00:27:00,076 for the U.S., friendship with Niger matters. 575 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:05,373 That they respect and admire what President Bazoum was doing. 576 00:27:05,457 --> 00:27:08,793 That the U.S. is open to assist Niger 577 00:27:08,877 --> 00:27:11,630 in economic growth and development, 578 00:27:11,713 --> 00:27:14,799 but also in security, state-building, 579 00:27:14,883 --> 00:27:17,052 reinforcing democracy. 580 00:27:17,135 --> 00:27:19,721 [Antony Blinken] Today, I announce nearly $150 million 581 00:27:19,804 --> 00:27:21,723 in new humanitarian assistance. 582 00:27:21,806 --> 00:27:24,059 [Antony Blinken] Niger is really an extraordinary model at 583 00:27:24,142 --> 00:27:26,478 a time of great challenge - 584 00:27:26,561 --> 00:27:29,314 a model of resilience, a model of democracy. 585 00:27:29,731 --> 00:27:30,899 [Mariana van Zeller] What does it mean that only 586 00:27:30,982 --> 00:27:33,735 months later, this, "Model of democracy," 587 00:27:33,818 --> 00:27:35,236 has been overthrown? 588 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,822 [reporter] Niger was in the process of shrugging off 589 00:27:37,906 --> 00:27:41,868 a reputation as part of the, "Coup-club," countries in 590 00:27:41,951 --> 00:27:43,620 this part of Africa. 591 00:27:43,703 --> 00:27:45,747 [Mariana van Zeller] Rumors are swirling about 592 00:27:45,830 --> 00:27:48,249 what really motivated the coup. 593 00:27:48,333 --> 00:27:51,336 Did General Tchiani, the leader of the presidential guards, 594 00:27:51,419 --> 00:27:54,923 take action because he'd heard he was about to be replaced? 595 00:27:56,091 --> 00:27:59,844 Was president Bazoum to blame for fostering such close ties 596 00:27:59,928 --> 00:28:03,932 to France, which ruled Niger as a colony until 1960 597 00:28:04,015 --> 00:28:07,394 and maintained an unpopular military presence? 598 00:28:08,103 --> 00:28:10,438 One of the first acts of violence to be broadcast is 599 00:28:10,522 --> 00:28:12,649 the riot where coup supporters chant, 600 00:28:12,732 --> 00:28:17,320 "Down with France," as they tried to set fire to 601 00:28:17,404 --> 00:28:19,280 its embassy in the capital. 602 00:28:19,364 --> 00:28:22,492 [cheering] 603 00:28:22,575 --> 00:28:23,743 [reporter] Elsewhere in the capital, 604 00:28:23,827 --> 00:28:25,412 they hold aloft the Russian flag. 605 00:28:25,495 --> 00:28:28,289 [Mariana van Zeller] Or was this the work of Putin's Russia, 606 00:28:28,373 --> 00:28:31,334 a country that has much to gain from Niger's break 607 00:28:31,418 --> 00:28:33,420 with France and the U.S.? 608 00:28:33,503 --> 00:28:36,131 [reporter] Tailors in Niger's capital busy making 609 00:28:36,214 --> 00:28:40,260 more Russian flags to meet increased demand. 610 00:28:40,343 --> 00:28:41,553 [Mariana van Zeller] Again and again, 611 00:28:41,636 --> 00:28:43,930 Putin has attempted to use the instability 612 00:28:44,013 --> 00:28:46,474 in the region to his advantage. 613 00:28:46,558 --> 00:28:50,520 The Sahel has experienced seven coups in just three years, 614 00:28:50,603 --> 00:28:52,480 ushering a new generation of 615 00:28:52,564 --> 00:28:55,734 military strongmen into Putin's orbit. 616 00:28:55,817 --> 00:28:58,278 He's hosted them at conferences in Moscow and 617 00:28:58,361 --> 00:29:00,864 provided Wagner mercenary troops to help them fight 618 00:29:00,947 --> 00:29:03,658 terrorists and maintain control. 619 00:29:03,742 --> 00:29:05,994 [reporter] Wagner and Russia's stock seem to be 620 00:29:06,077 --> 00:29:07,328 rising in West Africa. 621 00:29:07,412 --> 00:29:08,413 [speaking foreign language]. 622 00:29:08,496 --> 00:29:10,415 [reporter] "All the Africans know that Putin is 623 00:29:10,498 --> 00:29:12,625 ready to save us," this man says. 624 00:29:12,709 --> 00:29:14,878 [Mariana van Zeller] In exchange, Russia has obtained 625 00:29:14,961 --> 00:29:18,298 valuable mining contracts to extract the Sahel's many 626 00:29:18,381 --> 00:29:22,093 natural resources, including gold. 627 00:29:24,137 --> 00:29:26,723 There is a concern that Putin might send troops to prop up 628 00:29:26,806 --> 00:29:31,019 the coup leaders, an action that could spark a civil war. 629 00:29:31,102 --> 00:29:34,022 It's also possible that terrorist groups could exploit 630 00:29:34,105 --> 00:29:36,775 these chaotic days after the coup to stage 631 00:29:36,858 --> 00:29:39,402 their next big attack. 632 00:29:39,569 --> 00:29:41,529 [automated voice] You are in the meeting now. 633 00:29:41,613 --> 00:29:43,239 -Hi, guys. -Hey, everyone. 634 00:29:43,323 --> 00:29:44,324 [Mariana van Zeller] Mariana here. 635 00:29:44,407 --> 00:29:46,659 I think, at this point, we would all feel much better if 636 00:29:46,743 --> 00:29:50,663 we're actually discussing plans for our extraction, 637 00:29:50,747 --> 00:29:53,958 in case there is in fact a military evacuation. 638 00:29:54,876 --> 00:29:58,046 [Anita] Oh yeah, we understand your concerns and they're valid. 639 00:29:58,379 --> 00:30:01,216 Our current recommendation as I understand 640 00:30:01,299 --> 00:30:03,426 is to stay where you are at the moment. 641 00:30:04,761 --> 00:30:08,723 Violence is a lot more likely to break out in places like Niamey 642 00:30:08,807 --> 00:30:11,851 where the pro-Russian protests are currently happening. 643 00:30:12,310 --> 00:30:13,311 [Mariana van Zeller] Yeah. We understand all that. 644 00:30:13,394 --> 00:30:15,647 We just want to know, if violence breaks out where 645 00:30:15,730 --> 00:30:17,732 we are right now, what is the plan? 646 00:30:20,151 --> 00:30:22,904 [Nathan] We can't identify where the hot spots will be, 647 00:30:22,987 --> 00:30:25,114 and where the safe locations would also be. 648 00:30:25,865 --> 00:30:28,493 It's touch and go at this moment, very much. 649 00:30:28,576 --> 00:30:29,661 [Mariana van Zeller] So what exactly is it that you 650 00:30:29,744 --> 00:30:30,745 guys can do for us? 651 00:30:30,829 --> 00:30:32,497 What exactly is your role? 652 00:30:34,332 --> 00:30:36,835 [Nathan] If the situation does get worse in Agadez, 653 00:30:36,918 --> 00:30:39,337 we can move you to a different location. 654 00:30:39,420 --> 00:30:40,421 [Mariana van Zeller] Yeah. So that's what, 655 00:30:40,505 --> 00:30:43,341 we sort of want to have those, where would that be? 656 00:30:43,424 --> 00:30:44,509 When would that be and where? 657 00:30:44,592 --> 00:30:45,593 What, what's that point? 658 00:30:45,677 --> 00:30:47,637 And is there a plan already being set in motion? 659 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,639 We're missing a little bit of a sense of urgency 660 00:30:49,722 --> 00:30:52,934 or plan, pre-planning, so we're not stuck in a war if 661 00:30:53,017 --> 00:30:55,520 military intervention starts. 662 00:30:56,145 --> 00:30:58,940 [Anita] So depending on what happens we can move you 663 00:30:59,357 --> 00:31:02,110 to a safe location inside the country... 664 00:31:02,193 --> 00:31:03,194 [Mariana van Zeller] Yeah, but do you guys have any idea 665 00:31:03,278 --> 00:31:04,279 where that is? 666 00:31:04,362 --> 00:31:06,281 Do, any, any idea, any idea where that would be? 667 00:31:06,364 --> 00:31:07,365 What's that safe location? 668 00:31:07,448 --> 00:31:09,325 Any, any idea? 669 00:31:12,453 --> 00:31:13,746 [Nathan] Currently, no. 670 00:31:20,962 --> 00:31:22,797 [Mariana van Zeller] I think the most troubling part of it all is 671 00:31:22,964 --> 00:31:24,799 the fact that we're stuck here. 672 00:31:24,924 --> 00:31:26,968 They say it's, it'll be, at least, 673 00:31:27,051 --> 00:31:30,013 another week before, um, there's, 674 00:31:30,096 --> 00:31:31,556 they open up the airspace. 675 00:31:31,639 --> 00:31:32,640 Maybe more. 676 00:31:32,724 --> 00:31:35,643 So we have no idea how long we're gonna be stuck here. 677 00:31:35,727 --> 00:31:38,271 Stuck in our little Agadez hotel, 678 00:31:38,354 --> 00:31:40,899 I find myself fighting two impulses. 679 00:31:40,982 --> 00:31:44,569 The first, to get out of the country as soon as possible, 680 00:31:44,652 --> 00:31:47,822 as there's a real chance of violence breaking out. 681 00:31:47,906 --> 00:31:51,993 The second impulse is to do what we've come here to do. 682 00:31:52,076 --> 00:31:53,286 We wanted to see the situation, 683 00:31:53,369 --> 00:31:55,705 so we've actually been out and about today. 684 00:31:55,788 --> 00:31:57,373 Things are pretty calm here. 685 00:31:57,457 --> 00:31:59,459 Niamey, in the capital, is not the same. 686 00:31:59,542 --> 00:32:00,835 They've been burning buildings. 687 00:32:00,919 --> 00:32:01,961 There've been a lot of protests, 688 00:32:02,045 --> 00:32:04,756 both supporting the coup and against the coup. 689 00:32:04,839 --> 00:32:08,384 A contact says a former member of a terror group has agreed to 690 00:32:08,468 --> 00:32:11,596 meet with me, but only in a location of his choosing, 691 00:32:11,679 --> 00:32:16,225 and that means leaving the relative safety of our hotel. 692 00:32:19,062 --> 00:32:22,482 I'm hopeful this man has insight into how these terror groups, 693 00:32:22,565 --> 00:32:26,319 the gold trade, and the coup are all intertwined. 694 00:32:30,239 --> 00:32:33,368 We're looking for this blue door, 695 00:32:33,451 --> 00:32:35,453 somewhere around this neighborhood. 696 00:32:35,536 --> 00:32:40,249 But, really, I have no idea what I'm walking into. 697 00:32:43,211 --> 00:32:49,342 [♪ suspenseful music plays] 698 00:32:51,177 --> 00:32:53,179 [knocking] 699 00:33:02,981 --> 00:33:04,816 [knocking] 700 00:33:13,282 --> 00:33:19,622 [♪ suspenseful music plays] 701 00:33:20,915 --> 00:33:22,083 [Mariana van Zeller] Okay. 702 00:33:22,166 --> 00:33:24,836 [Mariana van Zeller] Moustapha is the name you want me to use? 703 00:33:24,919 --> 00:33:26,212 [Moustapha] Yes. 704 00:33:26,629 --> 00:33:28,798 [Mariana van Zeller] Is that your real name? 705 00:33:28,881 --> 00:33:30,008 [Moustapha] No, no, no. 706 00:33:31,342 --> 00:33:35,930 -What can you tell me about your links with extremists? 707 00:33:37,015 --> 00:33:41,394 [Moustapha] I was converted to terrorism 708 00:33:41,477 --> 00:33:45,106 through brothers I know. 709 00:33:45,189 --> 00:33:46,190 [Mariana van Zeller] How old were you 710 00:33:46,274 --> 00:33:47,316 when you joined the group? 711 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:48,985 [Moustapha] 18 years old... 712 00:33:50,028 --> 00:33:51,946 The group was Al-Qaeda. 713 00:33:52,030 --> 00:33:54,032 [Mariana van Zeller] Al-Qaeda. 714 00:33:54,949 --> 00:33:57,785 And how did they convert you? 715 00:33:58,369 --> 00:34:00,997 [Moustapha] Well, it wasn't too difficult for me to convert. 716 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:04,584 Basically here, at home, we're Muslims. 717 00:34:05,251 --> 00:34:07,795 So that's what got me going in the first place. 718 00:34:07,879 --> 00:34:11,382 And then there were other things. The lack of work... 719 00:34:11,466 --> 00:34:12,467 [Mariana van Zeller] For the whole country. 720 00:34:12,550 --> 00:34:15,928 [Moustapha] Specifically in the area I'm from. There's no work. 721 00:34:17,346 --> 00:34:19,140 [Mariana van Zeller] What did you do there (with Al-Qaeda)? 722 00:34:19,932 --> 00:34:23,019 [Moustapha] When you join you go through military training. 723 00:34:23,102 --> 00:34:24,228 And then... 724 00:34:24,771 --> 00:34:26,230 you're given a weapon. 725 00:34:27,065 --> 00:34:29,567 Then you're put in a camp, 726 00:34:29,650 --> 00:34:31,944 but you don't understand what's going on. 727 00:34:32,445 --> 00:34:35,698 [Mariana van Zeller] And what kind of violence did you see? 728 00:34:36,240 --> 00:34:37,909 [Moustapha] Every type of violence. 729 00:34:38,659 --> 00:34:40,411 People decapitated. 730 00:34:42,789 --> 00:34:45,792 They cut off your hands for nothing. 731 00:34:46,542 --> 00:34:48,544 If you're caught with a woman... 732 00:34:48,628 --> 00:34:50,213 They hit you 100 times. 733 00:34:51,506 --> 00:34:53,257 It's very dangerous because it's a system. 734 00:34:53,341 --> 00:34:55,676 Maybe not many people understand it. 735 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:57,095 I understand it very well 736 00:34:57,178 --> 00:34:58,888 because I'm part of the system. 737 00:34:59,430 --> 00:35:00,765 [Mariana van Zeller] Were you violent? 738 00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:03,434 [Moustapha] No. 739 00:35:03,518 --> 00:35:07,897 It was good luck. It was my good luck. 740 00:35:07,980 --> 00:35:13,945 The good Lord protected me in a way that I didn't kill anybody. 741 00:35:14,362 --> 00:35:17,115 [Mariana van Zeller] How do they manage to pay for their activity 742 00:35:17,198 --> 00:35:19,408 and for these weapons, for all that? 743 00:35:19,867 --> 00:35:23,496 -There's a lot of stuff. Trafficking. Drug trafficking. 744 00:35:24,038 --> 00:35:25,331 [Mariana van Zeller] Gold too? 745 00:35:25,414 --> 00:35:26,666 [Moustapha] Yes, there's gold too. 746 00:35:26,749 --> 00:35:28,459 When they enter a mining site 747 00:35:28,543 --> 00:35:30,545 where the terrorists are in control, 748 00:35:30,628 --> 00:35:33,464 you have to pay the Zakat. 749 00:35:34,340 --> 00:35:36,884 [Mariana van Zeller] Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam, 750 00:35:36,968 --> 00:35:40,138 a charitable offering required of Muslims each year. 751 00:35:40,221 --> 00:35:42,473 But in this case, what Moustapha describes, 752 00:35:42,557 --> 00:35:45,476 is more akin to a shakedown. 753 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:49,397 [Mariana van Zeller] And they use gold to pay for things? 754 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,024 [Moustapha] Gold is used to pay for medicines, for example. 755 00:35:52,108 --> 00:35:53,609 It's used to pay for food. 756 00:35:54,026 --> 00:35:55,736 It's used for fuel. 757 00:35:55,862 --> 00:35:56,863 [Mariana van Zeller] Weapons? 758 00:35:56,946 --> 00:35:58,030 [Moustapha] Everything. 759 00:35:58,239 --> 00:35:59,240 Everything. 760 00:35:59,574 --> 00:36:01,492 [Mariana van Zeller] Moustapha explains that some of the gold 761 00:36:01,576 --> 00:36:03,411 is used as currency in Niger. 762 00:36:03,494 --> 00:36:06,497 The rest is sent to Dubai where it's traded for cash and used to 763 00:36:06,581 --> 00:36:10,209 purchase goods that are then imported back into the country. 764 00:36:10,293 --> 00:36:11,836 [Mariana van Zeller] Do you know anyone who's done this? 765 00:36:12,837 --> 00:36:16,048 -Today, even if I know someone who can do these things, 766 00:36:16,132 --> 00:36:17,842 I can't introduce you to them because 767 00:36:17,925 --> 00:36:19,343 I don't know what's going to happen next. 768 00:36:21,762 --> 00:36:23,806 I can be taken away. 769 00:36:24,432 --> 00:36:26,017 I can disappear. 770 00:36:27,894 --> 00:36:30,563 You betray us, we kill you. 771 00:36:30,646 --> 00:36:33,232 [Mariana van Zeller] And what do you think about the coup? 772 00:36:33,774 --> 00:36:36,027 [Moustapha] It's a surprise for me. 773 00:36:36,110 --> 00:36:38,529 I didn't think that today in Niger, 774 00:36:38,613 --> 00:36:41,240 we could stage a coup like that. 775 00:36:41,324 --> 00:36:44,118 It's not good for the country, for its development, 776 00:36:44,452 --> 00:36:47,121 because now everything will come to a halt. 777 00:36:50,541 --> 00:36:51,959 [Mariana van Zeller] As we head back to our hotel, 778 00:36:52,043 --> 00:36:54,754 it strikes me that he's wrong about one point. 779 00:36:54,837 --> 00:36:57,924 Not everything will come to a halt. 780 00:36:58,007 --> 00:37:00,092 If I learned anything over the years, 781 00:37:00,176 --> 00:37:03,638 it's that black markets thrive in instability. 782 00:37:03,721 --> 00:37:06,349 The lack of opportunities will only send more young men 783 00:37:06,432 --> 00:37:10,186 to the mines or into the arms of terrorist groups. 784 00:37:11,687 --> 00:37:13,981 Instability breeds more instability, 785 00:37:14,065 --> 00:37:16,567 especially in a region like the Sahel, 786 00:37:16,651 --> 00:37:21,364 which sits atop a treasure trove of untapped natural resources. 787 00:37:22,031 --> 00:37:23,699 Gold, yes. 788 00:37:23,783 --> 00:37:27,161 But also oil, uranium, and rare earth minerals. 789 00:37:28,246 --> 00:37:30,831 This coup is part of a much larger story about 790 00:37:30,915 --> 00:37:33,668 resources and power. 791 00:37:33,751 --> 00:37:35,169 Who's got them? 792 00:37:35,253 --> 00:37:36,545 Who wants them? 793 00:37:36,629 --> 00:37:39,590 And what people are willing to do to get them? 794 00:37:40,258 --> 00:37:42,051 [reporter] International pressure intensifies four days 795 00:37:42,134 --> 00:37:43,135 after the coup d'état in Niger. 796 00:37:43,219 --> 00:37:46,097 France and the European Union suspending budgetary aid. 797 00:37:46,180 --> 00:37:49,517 They do not recognize General Tchiani's power. 798 00:37:50,810 --> 00:37:52,353 [Mariana van Zeller] So the West African state leaders are 799 00:37:52,436 --> 00:37:54,730 discussing the situation in Niger. 800 00:37:54,814 --> 00:37:58,526 And one of the possibilities is military intervention, 801 00:37:58,609 --> 00:38:01,362 which obviously is really bad news, 802 00:38:01,445 --> 00:38:04,991 because if things get violent here and if the war breaks out, 803 00:38:05,074 --> 00:38:10,037 we wanna be sure that there is an evacuation plan in place. 804 00:38:10,788 --> 00:38:13,207 We went to the airport yesterday, as well, 805 00:38:13,291 --> 00:38:15,793 to see if they had any news on possible planes leaving. 806 00:38:15,876 --> 00:38:18,963 You know, the airspace is still closed, so nothing there. 807 00:38:20,131 --> 00:38:22,675 I think, at this point, we just wanna be proactive and 808 00:38:22,758 --> 00:38:25,386 do as much as we can. 809 00:38:25,469 --> 00:38:27,972 [reporter] We begin the day with the possibility of war in Niger 810 00:38:28,055 --> 00:38:30,599 still very much on the table. 811 00:38:31,017 --> 00:38:32,977 [Omar Alieu Touray] Direct the community to activate 812 00:38:33,060 --> 00:38:37,481 the ECOWAS Standby Force with all its elements immediately. 813 00:38:38,399 --> 00:38:39,817 [Deane Smith] What I would say is that we are in 814 00:38:39,900 --> 00:38:42,028 the best position to being within Niger. 815 00:38:42,111 --> 00:38:43,195 [Mariana van Zeller] Mm-hmm. 816 00:38:43,279 --> 00:38:44,905 [Deane Smith] Because we're away from the capital. 817 00:38:44,989 --> 00:38:46,365 We're away from the major towns. 818 00:38:46,449 --> 00:38:48,326 Obviously, we're here in Agadez. 819 00:38:48,409 --> 00:38:49,702 [Mariana van Zeller] Mm-hmm. 820 00:38:49,785 --> 00:38:52,997 Yeah, but we're also away from an, an exit if... 821 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:54,540 [Deane Smith] Yeah. Totally. Yeah. 822 00:38:54,623 --> 00:38:55,916 [Mariana van Zeller] When that news came out that 823 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,419 the West African states have given the coup leaders 824 00:38:58,502 --> 00:39:02,465 seven days to bring back President Bazoum, 825 00:39:02,548 --> 00:39:04,675 my thought process is we have seven days to 826 00:39:04,759 --> 00:39:07,762 figure out how to get out of this country. 827 00:39:07,845 --> 00:39:10,306 What happens if there's violence at the door of our hotel? 828 00:39:10,389 --> 00:39:11,515 Is it safe? 829 00:39:11,599 --> 00:39:13,309 Are the roads, has, do you know anyone, Baba, 830 00:39:13,392 --> 00:39:16,020 who's done this journey to the border with Nigeria? 831 00:39:16,103 --> 00:39:18,689 Is it at all safe for us to go? 832 00:39:19,065 --> 00:39:21,942 [Baba Toure] I cannot confirm the roads are safe. 833 00:39:23,986 --> 00:39:26,030 [Mariana van Zeller] We'd arrived in Agadez by plane, 834 00:39:26,113 --> 00:39:29,492 because thieves and terrorists made it too dangerous to travel 835 00:39:29,575 --> 00:39:32,620 by road without heavy security. 836 00:39:33,162 --> 00:39:34,205 [crew] What do you guys reckon? 837 00:39:34,288 --> 00:39:36,707 You think we'll be staying put or heading to Niamey? 838 00:39:36,791 --> 00:39:38,417 [crew] I don't know. 839 00:39:38,501 --> 00:39:41,712 Both are sounding equally unappealing with every day. 840 00:39:42,505 --> 00:39:43,881 [Mariana van Zeller] But we had only planned to stay for 841 00:39:43,964 --> 00:39:46,509 four days, quick enough to get in and out 842 00:39:46,592 --> 00:39:48,969 without drawing too much attention. 843 00:39:49,053 --> 00:39:51,305 Instead we're stuck. 844 00:39:51,389 --> 00:39:53,933 The most visible foreigners in the city. 845 00:39:54,016 --> 00:39:57,645 And a tempting target for a militant group or kidnappers. 846 00:39:59,355 --> 00:40:02,108 The question now is whether to take our chances on the roads 847 00:40:02,191 --> 00:40:04,610 and make our way to a neighboring country, 848 00:40:04,693 --> 00:40:07,738 which would require traveling without a military escort. 849 00:40:08,823 --> 00:40:11,700 So, ironically, after covering black market operators 850 00:40:11,784 --> 00:40:13,494 for most of my career, 851 00:40:13,577 --> 00:40:15,579 our best hope of escape from Agadez 852 00:40:15,663 --> 00:40:18,749 may be to hire one to smuggle us out. 853 00:40:20,918 --> 00:40:22,545 So we're, we're waiting for this guy who works in 854 00:40:22,628 --> 00:40:25,297 the gold business to come and meet us here at the hotel. 855 00:40:25,381 --> 00:40:29,385 It's very interesting 'cause there's a photo of the president 856 00:40:29,468 --> 00:40:31,762 in a lot of these business establishments. 857 00:40:31,846 --> 00:40:33,389 There's always a photo of the president. 858 00:40:33,472 --> 00:40:35,558 Oh, he's here actually. 859 00:40:36,058 --> 00:40:37,435 [in French] How are you? 860 00:40:42,940 --> 00:40:44,900 -So I'll call you Ismael, is that all right? 861 00:40:44,984 --> 00:40:46,026 [Ismael] That's good. 862 00:40:46,402 --> 00:40:47,820 [Mariana van Zeller] I'm hopeful that Ismael might be 863 00:40:47,903 --> 00:40:49,572 our ticket out of Niger. 864 00:40:49,655 --> 00:40:51,157 [Ismael] I'm a transporter. 865 00:40:51,240 --> 00:40:52,491 [Mariana van Zeller] Of what? 866 00:40:52,575 --> 00:40:53,909 [Ismael] Everything. 867 00:40:53,993 --> 00:40:58,914 People, luggage, miners, everything. 868 00:40:59,415 --> 00:41:00,749 [Mariana van Zeller] Ismael tells us stories, 869 00:41:00,833 --> 00:41:02,835 as most everybody in Agadez does, 870 00:41:02,918 --> 00:41:05,880 about recent murders and atrocities he's witnessed 871 00:41:05,963 --> 00:41:07,173 on the road. 872 00:41:07,256 --> 00:41:08,257 [gunshots] 873 00:41:08,340 --> 00:41:10,217 Wow. You can hear the shots. 874 00:41:10,301 --> 00:41:11,802 [speaking foreign language]. 875 00:41:11,886 --> 00:41:13,888 [Mariana van Zeller] Wow. 876 00:41:15,097 --> 00:41:18,726 They were coming your way, so you went to the ground. 877 00:41:18,809 --> 00:41:20,144 Wow. 878 00:41:20,227 --> 00:41:22,480 It's not the most hopeful starting point when looking 879 00:41:22,563 --> 00:41:24,940 for a viable escape route. 880 00:41:25,024 --> 00:41:27,818 [Mariana van Zeller] So how long, how many days, 881 00:41:27,902 --> 00:41:30,196 how many roads does it take to get to Algeria? 882 00:41:30,863 --> 00:41:33,782 [Ismael] You can make the round trip in a single day. 883 00:41:33,866 --> 00:41:37,453 [speaking French] 884 00:41:37,536 --> 00:41:40,164 [Mariana van Zeller] If we want to go, could you take us? 885 00:41:42,041 --> 00:41:44,043 [Ismael] No. I can't take you. 886 00:41:44,585 --> 00:41:45,586 [Mariana van Zeller] Why? 887 00:41:45,878 --> 00:41:49,590 -If there's security with us, we'll go, there's no problem. 888 00:41:49,673 --> 00:41:50,674 [Mariana van Zeller] Hmm. 889 00:41:50,758 --> 00:41:52,843 [Ismael] But for me to take you like this to go over there, 890 00:41:52,927 --> 00:41:54,345 that's a problem. 891 00:41:54,678 --> 00:41:56,639 [Mariana van Zeller] For Ismael, traveling with a group of 892 00:41:56,722 --> 00:42:00,184 Americans would make a dangerous trip even more so. 893 00:42:00,726 --> 00:42:03,812 But providing security isn't something we can offer, 894 00:42:03,896 --> 00:42:06,106 and without it, we run the risk of becoming 895 00:42:06,190 --> 00:42:09,610 another cautionary tale on someone's phone. 896 00:42:09,693 --> 00:42:10,736 [Ismael] They're all dead. 897 00:42:10,819 --> 00:42:14,990 There was one who was still alive when we arrived. 898 00:42:15,741 --> 00:42:18,786 But it's far away and he died on the road. 899 00:42:23,374 --> 00:42:24,667 [Mariana van Zeller] The more we explore possible 900 00:42:24,750 --> 00:42:28,671 exit strategies, none of them look particularly safe. 901 00:42:29,838 --> 00:42:33,050 The funny thing is, we're only two miles from Base 201, 902 00:42:33,133 --> 00:42:35,928 but despite many requests, 903 00:42:36,011 --> 00:42:39,515 the U.S. Military won't allow us to take shelter at the base, 904 00:42:39,598 --> 00:42:43,394 perhaps because the U.S. is in the middle of its own crisis. 905 00:42:44,812 --> 00:42:46,355 [Antony Blinken] We are condemning the actions that 906 00:42:46,438 --> 00:42:48,524 have taken place in Niger. 907 00:42:48,607 --> 00:42:50,693 [Mariana van Zeller] So far, the State Department has refused to 908 00:42:50,776 --> 00:42:53,612 label the action a coup, which would legally require 909 00:42:53,696 --> 00:42:56,490 the U.S. to withdraw financial aid. 910 00:42:57,241 --> 00:42:59,660 There are concerns that that might push the new government 911 00:42:59,743 --> 00:43:02,037 into the waiting arms of Putin. 912 00:43:02,121 --> 00:43:04,164 [Antony Blinken] Our economic and security partnership 913 00:43:04,248 --> 00:43:05,749 with Niger, which is significant, 914 00:43:05,833 --> 00:43:07,668 hundreds of millions of dollars, 915 00:43:07,751 --> 00:43:12,256 depends on the continuation of the democratic governance 916 00:43:12,339 --> 00:43:15,342 and constitutional order that has been disrupted. 917 00:43:15,426 --> 00:43:17,511 [Mariana van Zeller] That's the thing about a coup like this, 918 00:43:17,595 --> 00:43:20,014 it casts a spell of uncertainty over everything, 919 00:43:20,097 --> 00:43:22,391 big and small. 920 00:43:22,474 --> 00:43:25,311 For the people of Niger, it's unclear who will rule 921 00:43:25,394 --> 00:43:28,105 and if the chaos will spread. 922 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:31,900 For the U.S., President Bazoum's ouster means losing our closest 923 00:43:31,984 --> 00:43:35,070 African ally in the war on terror. 924 00:43:35,154 --> 00:43:37,281 And for us, stuck in our hotel, 925 00:43:37,364 --> 00:43:40,242 it means trying to stay positive. 926 00:43:41,952 --> 00:43:44,330 Because while European governments are evacuating 927 00:43:44,413 --> 00:43:46,540 their citizens as fast as they can, 928 00:43:46,624 --> 00:43:48,626 the U.S. won't declare it a coup, 929 00:43:48,709 --> 00:43:51,837 and that means they won't help us get out. 930 00:43:55,799 --> 00:43:58,552 [reporter] "French nationals in Niger will be evacuated. 931 00:43:58,636 --> 00:44:00,346 This will start today." 932 00:44:01,013 --> 00:44:02,640 "Burkina Faso and Mali claim that 933 00:44:02,723 --> 00:44:03,724 military intervention in Niger..." 934 00:44:03,807 --> 00:44:05,643 "...is tantamount to a declaration of war on 935 00:44:05,726 --> 00:44:06,852 their two countries." 936 00:44:07,478 --> 00:44:09,146 [Mariana van Zeller] We've been spending days on end, 937 00:44:09,229 --> 00:44:12,024 trying to find seats on humanitarian planes which could 938 00:44:12,107 --> 00:44:14,526 take us to the capital, Niamey, 939 00:44:14,610 --> 00:44:17,821 but even those planes in Agadez remain grounded. 940 00:44:18,197 --> 00:44:20,074 And these are supposedly the last planes 941 00:44:20,157 --> 00:44:22,201 that are taking Europeans out. 942 00:44:22,284 --> 00:44:24,161 And they're already on the runway about to leave and he was 943 00:44:24,244 --> 00:44:28,040 able to get us all seats, but the problem is that we're 944 00:44:28,123 --> 00:44:30,959 very far away so we're not gonna be able to make those flights. 945 00:44:36,090 --> 00:44:37,424 I just got a message from the, 946 00:44:37,508 --> 00:44:39,468 our U.S. military contact at the base here. 947 00:44:39,551 --> 00:44:40,552 [Paul] Mm-hmm. 948 00:44:40,636 --> 00:44:41,720 Does he say that they're anticipating 949 00:44:41,804 --> 00:44:43,430 the evacuation order to come? 950 00:44:43,514 --> 00:44:45,766 [Mariana van Zeller] Uh, "If the evacuation order is given, 951 00:44:45,849 --> 00:44:49,019 we are standing by to receive the order to come get you all 952 00:44:49,103 --> 00:44:51,355 and bring us back to the airbase here." 953 00:44:51,438 --> 00:44:52,481 -Okay. 954 00:44:52,564 --> 00:44:53,607 -So it's still an if. -Okay. 955 00:44:53,691 --> 00:44:54,858 [Mariana van Zeller] I mean, the Italians and the Germans 956 00:44:54,942 --> 00:44:56,443 have all given evacuation orders. 957 00:44:56,527 --> 00:44:57,528 -Mm-hmm. 958 00:44:57,611 --> 00:44:59,154 [text tone] 959 00:44:59,863 --> 00:45:02,157 -What's happening? 960 00:45:02,241 --> 00:45:03,784 [Paul] Darren just sent it. 961 00:45:04,576 --> 00:45:06,328 [Mariana van Zeller] It says, "No, nobody has made any calls 962 00:45:06,412 --> 00:45:08,580 to consolidate Americans yet." 963 00:45:08,664 --> 00:45:10,541 [bleep]. 964 00:45:12,042 --> 00:45:15,879 We've got five more days before ECOWAS's ultimatum ends and 965 00:45:15,963 --> 00:45:19,675 possible military intervention by the West African states. 966 00:45:19,758 --> 00:45:23,137 Mali and Burkina Faso have said that they are ready to come and 967 00:45:23,220 --> 00:45:26,557 fight and defend the military coup. 968 00:45:26,849 --> 00:45:29,518 So a civil war could break out at any point, 969 00:45:29,601 --> 00:45:32,604 and we're in a race against time for this evacuation window 970 00:45:32,688 --> 00:45:35,149 that's happening, except that in our case, 971 00:45:35,232 --> 00:45:37,693 we're 1,000 kilometers away from the capital, Niamey, 972 00:45:37,776 --> 00:45:41,321 where those planes are leaving at this moment. 973 00:45:41,405 --> 00:45:42,865 I think we've all felt very emotional. 974 00:45:42,948 --> 00:45:46,493 Just the uncertainty of it all has really took, taken a toll. 975 00:45:46,577 --> 00:45:49,204 And they're really just missing our families, 976 00:45:49,288 --> 00:45:52,791 and that moment that's gonna happen very, very soon. 977 00:45:52,875 --> 00:45:56,420 We're gonna be able to hug um, our loved ones, 978 00:45:56,503 --> 00:45:59,923 is what's keeping us going. 979 00:46:07,389 --> 00:46:11,852 [phone dialing] 980 00:46:11,935 --> 00:46:13,771 [automated voice] You are in the meeting now. 981 00:46:13,854 --> 00:46:16,482 [Mariana van Zeller] Hey, guys. We've got the whole team here. 982 00:46:16,565 --> 00:46:17,941 [Frank Harrison] All right. Just briefed the team 983 00:46:18,025 --> 00:46:19,985 before you came on board. 984 00:46:20,068 --> 00:46:23,071 We'll bring you up to speed, about... 985 00:46:23,155 --> 00:46:24,740 [Frank Harrison] A little over ten minutes ago we got 986 00:46:24,823 --> 00:46:27,659 the landing approval for Agadez issued. 987 00:46:28,327 --> 00:46:31,371 And what we're waiting on right now is for 988 00:46:31,455 --> 00:46:33,332 the crew to get in, get the aircraft up in the air. 989 00:46:33,916 --> 00:46:36,084 Correct, and it'll be going Dubai picking you up, 990 00:46:36,168 --> 00:46:38,295 and returning you to Dubai. 991 00:46:39,171 --> 00:46:40,506 -Yes. -Wow. 992 00:46:40,589 --> 00:46:43,717 [Mariana van Zeller] That's, that's incredible news. 993 00:46:44,593 --> 00:46:46,220 I think we're all very happy. 994 00:46:46,303 --> 00:46:48,096 But it seems like it's firm, it's firm. 995 00:46:48,180 --> 00:46:49,515 Like this is actually happening. 996 00:46:49,598 --> 00:46:52,226 We're actually sure that this is happening now, right? 997 00:46:52,309 --> 00:46:54,937 We don't wanna give false hopes again to the team. 998 00:46:55,020 --> 00:46:57,731 [Frank Harrison] I'm actually watching 999 00:46:57,815 --> 00:46:59,691 the crew getting mobilized. 1000 00:47:00,067 --> 00:47:01,902 [Mariana van Zeller] With all other doors closed, 1001 00:47:01,985 --> 00:47:03,821 a private extraction company will try to 1002 00:47:03,904 --> 00:47:06,198 land a plane to get us out. 1003 00:47:06,532 --> 00:47:08,325 [Frank Harrison] Now, the concern is 1004 00:47:08,408 --> 00:47:12,079 we now need to safeguard and protect your team because 1005 00:47:12,162 --> 00:47:15,874 now the military in the capital of Niamey 1006 00:47:15,958 --> 00:47:20,003 is aware of an evacuation that's occurring out of Agadez. 1007 00:47:20,504 --> 00:47:22,214 They may start getting curious. 1008 00:47:22,297 --> 00:47:24,591 Try not to share it with too many people. 1009 00:47:25,133 --> 00:47:28,929 And the air crew does want you to arrive at the aircraft 1010 00:47:29,012 --> 00:47:32,349 with security to safeguard the aircraft. 1011 00:47:37,396 --> 00:47:43,777 [♪ dramatic music] 1012 00:47:47,364 --> 00:47:48,740 [Mariana van Zeller] Everyone in the car? 1013 00:47:48,824 --> 00:47:50,534 [Paul] Yes. Let's pull out please. 1014 00:47:50,617 --> 00:47:52,536 [Deane Smith] Okay. Let's go. 1015 00:47:52,619 --> 00:47:54,288 Nice and steady. 1016 00:47:57,499 --> 00:47:58,500 [Deane Smith] Okay. Let's go. 1017 00:47:58,584 --> 00:48:00,669 Nice and steady. 1018 00:48:08,468 --> 00:48:11,513 [Mariana van Zeller] The plane's supposed to land in 20 minutes. 1019 00:48:16,476 --> 00:48:18,729 So our police escort didn't show up and there's a curfew 1020 00:48:18,812 --> 00:48:21,356 that goes until 5:00 a.m. 1021 00:48:22,316 --> 00:48:25,736 So today is actually Independence Day here in Niger. 1022 00:48:25,819 --> 00:48:28,614 They've reported protests happening around the country 1023 00:48:28,697 --> 00:48:31,074 in support of the coup, and, apparently, 1024 00:48:31,158 --> 00:48:34,620 there's going to be a lot of anti-Western feelings around. 1025 00:48:34,703 --> 00:48:37,581 People are afraid of foreigners being a target. 1026 00:48:37,664 --> 00:48:40,083 So we were actually scared that because of this 1027 00:48:40,167 --> 00:48:42,878 Independence Day, that the plane wouldn't be able to land, 1028 00:48:42,961 --> 00:48:45,380 the airport here wouldn't be operational. 1029 00:48:45,464 --> 00:48:49,217 But it's supposed to land in 20 minutes. 1030 00:48:50,177 --> 00:48:53,430 It's been a really nerve-racking night. 1031 00:48:54,890 --> 00:48:57,309 [Paul] We've got a little bit of a roadblock coming up here. 1032 00:49:04,232 --> 00:49:06,151 [Mariana van Zeller] I think there's a full awareness amongst 1033 00:49:06,234 --> 00:49:09,655 our whole team that we are the lucky ones. 1034 00:49:09,738 --> 00:49:11,698 We've had a very uncertain one week. 1035 00:49:11,782 --> 00:49:14,034 But for the people of Niger, 1036 00:49:14,117 --> 00:49:16,703 for all the incredible people that we've met along the way, 1037 00:49:16,787 --> 00:49:18,914 it's an uncertain future 1038 00:49:18,997 --> 00:49:22,209 and, you know, one without democracy 1039 00:49:22,292 --> 00:49:25,253 and possible violence on the way. 1040 00:49:25,963 --> 00:49:27,673 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] I'm very concerned about, 1041 00:49:27,756 --> 00:49:30,676 about the future and I'm, I'm very concerned for 1042 00:49:30,759 --> 00:49:33,095 the generations to come. 1043 00:49:35,097 --> 00:49:36,807 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] We have a very young population. 1044 00:49:36,890 --> 00:49:38,100 The youngest in the world. 1045 00:49:38,183 --> 00:49:40,978 Sixty-five percent below twenty-five. 1046 00:49:41,603 --> 00:49:45,107 President Bazoum was trying to give hope through education. 1047 00:49:45,190 --> 00:49:47,317 We are about to lose it. 1048 00:49:47,401 --> 00:49:49,236 Not only do we have the jihadists, 1049 00:49:49,319 --> 00:49:52,322 but we have all of these traditional leaders 1050 00:49:52,406 --> 00:49:56,702 totally opposed to any form of modernity. 1051 00:49:56,785 --> 00:49:59,913 Religious leaders who are also 1052 00:49:59,997 --> 00:50:03,291 totally anti anything that looks like democracy. 1053 00:50:03,709 --> 00:50:06,086 They don't believe that human beings are equal. 1054 00:50:06,169 --> 00:50:07,504 They don't believe in that. 1055 00:50:07,587 --> 00:50:10,465 They believe that some are better than others. 1056 00:50:10,549 --> 00:50:14,678 And these people are surging and gaining influence. 1057 00:50:16,304 --> 00:50:17,806 [Mariana van Zeller] So the airport is on our right and 1058 00:50:17,889 --> 00:50:20,976 I'm trying to see if I can see the plane coming in anywhere. 1059 00:50:29,192 --> 00:50:34,656 [♪ dramatic music] 1060 00:50:34,740 --> 00:50:37,617 [Paul] We're just getting out... on its way back. 1061 00:50:43,206 --> 00:50:47,919 [♪ dramatic music] 1062 00:50:48,003 --> 00:50:53,216 [jet engine rumbling] 1063 00:50:53,633 --> 00:50:55,719 [Mariana van Zeller] We're getting in. 1064 00:51:03,393 --> 00:51:05,854 Thank you. 1065 00:51:05,937 --> 00:51:08,398 The captain is checking with his ops. 1066 00:51:09,399 --> 00:51:11,985 Okay. He said we're good to leave. 1067 00:51:12,069 --> 00:51:13,320 Seems like we're good. 1068 00:51:13,403 --> 00:51:15,655 [captain] Crew, Vector is the primary radio. 1069 00:51:21,912 --> 00:51:28,668 [♪ dramatic music] 1070 00:51:30,545 --> 00:51:32,255 [Mariana van Zeller] I spent much of the last week 1071 00:51:32,339 --> 00:51:34,883 waiting for this moment. 1072 00:51:35,509 --> 00:51:38,595 I think I was more scared than I wanted to admit. 1073 00:51:38,678 --> 00:51:41,223 The relief of finally getting out hits me, 1074 00:51:41,306 --> 00:51:44,101 along with the guilt of knowing that leaving 1075 00:51:44,184 --> 00:51:47,479 is not an option for everyone. 1076 00:51:53,026 --> 00:51:54,194 [tapping] 1077 00:51:57,656 --> 00:52:01,701 Somewhere down there are the gold miners I met, 1078 00:52:02,077 --> 00:52:03,912 and the people of Agadez, 1079 00:52:03,995 --> 00:52:06,164 and President Bazoum and his family, 1080 00:52:06,248 --> 00:52:09,751 still being held captive by unelected men who hold his fate 1081 00:52:09,835 --> 00:52:13,213 and the fate of a country in their hands. 1082 00:52:19,761 --> 00:52:26,518 [♪ emotional music] 1083 00:52:28,770 --> 00:52:30,313 [Kiari Liman-Tinguiri] This is something very, 1084 00:52:30,397 --> 00:52:33,859 very scary and very worrisome for the generation to come. 1085 00:52:34,818 --> 00:52:38,029 If I tell you that I see a bright future, 1086 00:52:38,113 --> 00:52:39,906 I wouldn't be honest. 1087 00:52:39,990 --> 00:52:41,992 I don't see any, for the time being, 1088 00:52:42,075 --> 00:52:45,162 I don't see any bright future. 1089 00:52:45,245 --> 00:52:46,454 Yeah. 1090 00:52:58,091 --> 00:53:03,513 [♪ intense music]