Military authorities in Niger have warned against any armed involvement in the nation as leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) assemble in Nigeria’s capital on Sunday for an emergency conference to deliberate on next steps to urge the army to restore constitutional order.
The heads of state of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union have the option of suspending Niger from its institutions, cutting the nation off from the regional central bank and financial market, and closing borders.
Chad, Niger’s eastern neighbour and non-member of both regional bodies, has been invited to the ECOWAS meeting, according to a statement from Chad’s president’s office on Saturday.
According to the World Bank, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, receiving about $2 billion in official development aid every year. It is also a security partner of former colonial powers France and the United States, both of which utilize it as a base to combat an Islamist insurgency in West and Central Africa’s Sahel area.
For the first time, West African leaders may explore military action to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who was deposed when General Abdourahamane Tiani was designated the new head of state on Friday.
Ahead of the Sunday conference, Niger’s military officials warned against any military involvement in a statement aired on Niger national television on Saturday night.
“The goal of the (ECOWAS) meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are not ECOWAS members, as well as certain Western countries,” junta spokesperson Colonel Amadou Abdramane stated.
“We want to remind ECOWAS and any other adventurer once more of our firm determination to defend our homeland,” he added.
On Saturday night, the junta published a second statement, encouraging residents in the capital to march to the streets at 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) to oppose ECOWAS and express support for the new military administration.
The Niger military coup has been strongly criticised by the country’s neighbours and foreign partners, who have refused to accept the new authorities and demanded that Bazoum be restored to office.
Bazoum has not been heard from since he was imprisoned within the presidential palace early Thursday, despite the fact that the European Union, France, and others continue to recognize him as the legal president.
The European Union and France have suspended financial aid to Niger, and the US has threatened to do the same.
The African Union released a statement on Friday following an emergency meeting, requesting that the troops return to their barracks and constitutional order be restored within 15 days. It didn’t explain what would happen next.
