Niger’s military leaders have said they will not accept any form of armed intervention in their country. They said this in view of the urgent meeting of the leaders of West African countries in Nigeria on Sunday. The meeting was called to take necessary measures to pressure the country’s military to restore constitutional order in Niger.
Niger’s President Mohammed Bajom was recently ousted in a military coup. Abdorahmane Chiani, the head of the presidential guard who led the coup, declared himself the head of Niger’s interim government last Friday.
According to the BBC, the European Union and France stopped giving financial aid to Niger after the coup. The European Union has also announced the end of security cooperation. The United States has also warned to take action.
In such a situation, West African leaders are meeting to take action against Niger. Leaders of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union may suspend Niger’s membership in the alliances. The country’s relationship with the regional central bank may be severed. In addition, countries may decide to close borders with Niger. Military intervention may also be considered to restore Bajom to power.
Niger’s eastern neighbor, Chad, is not a member of either of the two regional organizations. However, the country has been invited to the ECOWAS conference. This information was confirmed in a statement issued by the office of the President of Chad yesterday Saturday.
A statement from Niger’s military leaders was read out on state television last night ahead of today’s conference.
Colonel Amadou Abdorahmane, the spokesman of the junta government, said, “The purpose of the ECOWAS meeting is to approve the plan for the operation against Niger through the inevitable military intervention in Niamey.” African countries that are not members of ECOWAS and certain Western countries will also be involved.
Again reminding ECOWAS or such organizations that we are determined to protect our motherland.’
Later, the junta issued another statement. It called on the people of the country to gather in the streets from seven in the morning on Sunday to protest against ECOWAS and show support for the new military leaders.
Bazum was taken into custody in the presidential palace in the early hours of last Thursday and has not been seen since. But the European Union, France, and others say they still recognize Bazum as Niger’s legitimate president.
One of the world’s poorest nations is Niger. The country receives $2 billion in development assistance annually, according to the World Bank. The nation supports former colonial powers France and the United States in terms of security. In their conflict with militant Islamist organizations in the Sahel area of West Africa and Central Africa, both nations operate out of Niger.
Mali and Burkina Faso warn of military intervention in Niger
The politics of the West African country of Niger is in turmoil due to the coup. The country’s president Mohammad Bajom has been deposed. He is imprisoned in the presidential palace in the capital Niam.
There are also fears of military intervention to free Mohamed Bajom. In this situation, the neighboring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso said that any kind of military intervention in Niger would be considered a “declaration of war” against their country.
Mali and Burkina Faso currently have military-backed governments. A joint statement was aired on state TV of the two countries yesterday, Monday (July 31). Any use of force against Niger, it was stated, would constitute a declaration of war against Mali and Burkina Faso. Such a move could have disastrous consequences and destabilize the entire region.
In a joint statement, the two countries also said their governments rejected the imposition of “illegal, illegal and inhumane” sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger.
A coup took place last Wednesday (26 July) in the West African country of Niger. It was led by members of the country’s Presidential Guard. Following the coup last Friday, Abdorahmane Chiani, the chief of the presidential guard in Niger, proclaimed himself the provisional leader of the nation.
Mohammed Bajom became the president of Niger after winning the election in 2021. He is known as pro-Western and has advanced the fight against armed groups in the eastern and western parts of Niger. He has been imprisoned in the presidential palace since the coup.
The United States and France, which once colonized Niger, had long been directly aiding Mohamed Bajom. After the coup, the two countries reiterated their support for Bajom. The European Union (EU) and France have halted their financial and security cooperation with Niger.
Niger’s coup plotters have accused the outgoing government of trying to authorize France to launch a military strike to free ousted president Mohamed Bazome. In addition, Niger’s army has been given a seven-day deadline by West African leaders to leave the country. The warning came from an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS also known as ECOWAS) in Nigeria last Sunday.
Soon after, Mali and Burkina Faso took a stand against possible military intervention in Niger. In this situation, the Interim President of Chad, another African country, Mohamed Idris Deby Itno, visited Niger for mediation. He also held meetings with the imprisoned Mohamed Bajom and Niger’s coup d’état military officers.