The junta controlled government in Niger Republic has announced the closure of the country’s airspace following the threat by the regional bloc—ECOWAS to launch military action in the former French colony if Mohamed Bazoum is not released and restored as president.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had given the coupists until Sunday to reverse their military takeover and reinstate Bazoum’s government. The deadline has now elapsed, with the junta organizing large shows of support in the capital Niamey in the run-up to its expiration.
While reading a statement on national television on Sunday, the government said they had information that “a foreign power” was plotting to attack Niger.
Though, Ecowas military chiefs who met in Abuja on Friday said they had drawn up a detailed plan for the possible use of force. Continue Reading…
“All the elements that will go into any eventual intervention have been worked out here, including the resources needed, the how and when we are going deploy the force,” said Abdel-Fatau Musah, Ecowas commissioner for political affairs, peace and security.
And he added, “We want diplomacy to work, and we want this message clearly transmitted to them [Niger’s junta] that we are giving them every opportunity to reverse what they have done”.
Ecowas is a regional trading bloc of 15 West African countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Ghana.
The coup leaders seem to be showing no sign of willingness to relinquish power, and on Sunday thousands of their supporters rallied at a stadium in Niger’s capital Niamey.
Also, two of Niger’s neighbours – Burkina Faso and Mali – earlier warned they would treat any outside military intervention in Niger as “a declaration of war” against them. Burkina Faso and Mali are both Ecowas members but have been suspended from the bloc since being taken over by the military.
Niger is a significant uranium producer – a fuel that is vital for nuclear power – and under Mr Bazoum was a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in West Africa’s Sahel Region. Continue Reading…
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