Col Muammar Gaddafi's security chief is among several former Libyan officials who have arrived in the capital of Niger, Niamey, officials there say.
They say the man, Mansour Daw, entered the country on Sunday and travelled via the desert city of Agadez.
Meanwhile, a convoy said to be carrying dozens of heavily armed Gaddafi loyalists as well as gold and cash, is headed for Niger's capital.
Niger officials say Col Gaddafi is not believed to be travelling with it.
A senior rebel military commander said that he believed Col Gaddafi was still in Libya, but heading away from areas which have seen fighting.
"We have it from many sources that he's trying to go further south, towards Chad or Niger," Hisham Buhagiar said in an interview with Reuters news agency.
The former Libyan leader has vowed to fight to the death, even though he has lost control of most of the country.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14814388
Note: Update Record, 7 September 2011 Last updated at 00:44 GMT