3:53 pm
Jack
Libya's deposed leader Moammar Gadhafi has not arrived in Niger, the government declared Wednesday, as the new Libyan leaders sought Niger's help in preventing Gadhafi, his son and his allies from crossing into the neighbouring country.
"The government reaffirms that Mr. Gadhafi is not on Nigerien territory," said Justice Minister Marou Amadou.
He also stated that Niger was "following closely the situation in Libya, in consultation with [Libya's] National Transitional Council."
However, Amadou revealed that on Wednesday a total of four vehicles entered the country carrying 18 people.
"When a country is at war and people feel threatened and they enter another country, we cannot turn them back for fear they could lose their lives," said Amadou.
A large convoy of civilian and military vehicles is reported to have entered Niger from Libya late Monday.
The U.S. State Department urged nations in the region to deny refuge to any wanted Libyans but none of those crossing into Niger appeared to be on a list of persons subject to United Nations sanctions, said spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.
Some military and senior officials under Gadhafi's regime are now being held in the capital, she said.
Nuland said that reports of a massive convoy of 200 vehicles were "overblown."
Niger was in contact with the NTC on what to do with the Libyans, she added.
Niger's Foreign Minster Mohammed Bazoum said Gadhafi could cross into Niger but "to go where? It doesn't make sense."
He added that if Gadhafi has "to roam, he would roam around Libya, not across Africa."
Meanwhile, the NTC has dispatched a team to Niamey to try to secure the 350-kilometre border with Niger and block any potential escape routes for Gadhafi.
