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The Niger’s Coup leader and head of the ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) strongly warned other countries in the ECOWAS bloc to desist from military intervention, echoing its earlier stand
The Niger’s Coup leader and head of the ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) strongly warned other countries in the ECOWAS bloc to desist from military intervention, echoing its earlier stand. It is almost a month since the coup had happened in the Sahel country and the truce is still eluding. The stern warning that Niger would retaliate against any incursion on its sovereignty in the same coin, the military leader Tiani said if an attack were to be undertaken against Niger, it would not be like a walk in the park and stressed that it was fully prepared to resist any attack on it.
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Tiani’s warning came immediately after his first meeting with ECOWAS representatives. He made it clear that the intention of the coup was not to confiscate power. The general announced a period of national dialogue to lay the foundations of a new constitutional life. He also revealed that the stakeholders would be invited to a consultation to lay the foundations of the transition and to set formulate concrete proposals within 30 days. The stakeholders invited to join would define the fundamental principles that should govern the transition. They would be called upon to define the priority of the transition, which should last no longer than a few months.
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The transition plans of the military junta go against ECOWAS demands to restore President Bazoum to his functions. But the statement made by Tiani is seemingly ignoring the diktat given by ECOWAS. Three countries in the bloc-Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso-have military rule.
Earlier, ECOWAS envoys arrived in Niger (on Saturday) in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to reach a peaceful solution to the leadership crisis. Niger’s prime minister welcomed the delegation. The ECOWAS delegation was headed by a Nigerian former military head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar, who met separately with General Abdourahmane Tian separately.
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During the talks, Niger’s military leader pushed for the lifting of economic and travel sanctions imposed by ECOWAS after the coup. The sanctions, he said, were directly affecting Niger’s population. The junta said they were under pressure to resort to a coup, giving the impression that they were trying to strike a conciliatory tone and apologizing for past disrespect towards the bloc. Tiani also repeatedly expressed concerns that its former colonial ruler France — which has some 1,500 troops in the country and had been providing training and conducting joint operations with Niger’s military — was actively planning an attack.
ECOWAS envoy Abubakar also met deposed President Mohamed Bazoum during the visit as speculations about Bazoum’s health were rife. He has been under house arrest with his family since the coup.
