Nigerien President, President Mohamed Bazoum following a military coup that sent shock wake through the country stated that he is resolute in defending the ‘hard-won’ democratic position.
Hassoumi Massoudou, the foreign minister of the country, took on X (formerly Twitter) to issue a rousing appeal to ‘all democrats and patriots,’ urging their collective efforts in foiling the military coup.
After soldiers delivered a late-night televised address on Wednesday, ousting President Bazoum from power and suspending all republic institutions, both the foreign minister and President Bazoum responded with their statements. This occurrence marks the seventh coup in West and Central Africa since 2020.
Prior to the events on Wednesday, the members of the presidential guard implemented a strategic blockade around the presidential palace in Niamey, trapping President Bazoum within its confines.
The events triggered regional and international unease as the country’s role as a crucial ally for Western powers in the fight against the Sahel region insurgency came under threat.
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Hassoumi Massoudou revealed in an interview with France 24 that as of Thursday morning, President Bazoum was still confined within the presidential palace, while the minister’s location remained unknown.
Niamey’s streets were hushed on Thursday morning, thanks to the military’s enforcement of a nationwide curfew and closed borders.
In response to the unfolding events on Wednesday, a group of Bazoum supporters congregated in the city, expressing their strong opposition to any power transition, a situation reported by a Reuters journalist. However, they were later dispersed.
Presently, the person assuming command has not been named. While General Omar Tchiani is responsible for the presidential guard, the televised message was delivered by Colonel Amadou Abdramane, who serves in the air force.
Colonel Amadou Abdramane, along with nine other officers dressed in military fatigues, addressed the nation from an office, not a television studio. He clarified that the defence and security forces’ actions were a response to the escalating security situation and governance problems.
As a former French colony and a land-locked country, Niger is part of the group of West African states facing off against jihadist militants that have been executing violent insurgency across the region over the past decade.
Two coups in Mali and two in Burkina Faso since 2020 were, in part, triggered by the mounting frustrations of the populace due to the state’s inadequacy in preventing violent attacks on towns and villages.
With relations deteriorating between Burkina Faso and Mali’s military governments, which has led to foreign troop withdrawals, Niger’s role has become greatly hungry for Western powers in assisting the fight against jihadists