Crisis in Niger: President Bazum calls for help, putschists threaten revenge

Tensions in Niger have risen again eight days after a coup d’état that ousted President-elect Mohamed Bazum on 26 July. Late on Thursday evening, in a statement read on television, the putschists condemned “agreements on cooperation in the field of security and defense with France”, a military contingent of 1,500 soldiers is stationed in the country.

They promised an “immediate response” to “any aggression” from an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) country, with the exception of Mali and Burkina Faso, who were excluded from “friendly” members, they were also led by putschists. ECOWAS, which has imposed tough sanctions on Niamey, in part by suspending financial transactions with the country, gave the putschists until Sunday to reinstate Mohamed Bazum, under penalty of potential use of “force.”

President Bazum also spoke Thursday night in an op-ed published by the Washington Post. He warned of the “devastating” effects of the coup on the world and the Sahel, which he said could come under Russian “influence” through the Wagner paramilitary group. “I call on the US government and the entire international community to help restore constitutional order,” he wrote “like a hostage” in his first public statement since his ouster.

Military operation, “last option on the table”

These statements came shortly after the arrival of a West African bloc delegation to Niamey to try to find a way out of the crisis. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the current president of ECOWAS, asked Abdulsalami Abubakar, who heads the delegation, to “do everything possible” to find a “global solution.” The organization, however, says that it is preparing for a military operation, although it emphasizes that this is “the last option on the table.”

The ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff are meeting in Abuja until Friday. Several West African armies, including the Senegalese, say they are ready to intervene if the ultimatum is not carried out on Sunday. Mali and Burkina Faso, for their part, reaffirmed that any armed invasion of Niger would be regarded “as a declaration of war” on their two countries.

Relations between Niger and France, the former colonial power, also escalated. The Nigerian ambassador to Paris was also fired by the putschists, as were the ambassadors to the United States, Togo and Nigeria.

On Thursday, the programs of Radio France Internationale (RFI) and news channel France 24 were interrupted in Niger, “a decision taken outside any traditional and legal framework,” according to the two media’s parent company, France Media World. France “very strongly” condemned the decision.

Access to the French embassy blocked

Thousands of demonstrators supporting the ruling junta marched peacefully through the streets of several Nigerian cities on Thursday at the call of M 62, a coalition of “sovereignist” civil society organizations. Many of them chanted slogans critical of France and waved Russian flags.

Access to the French embassy and other nearby offices was blocked Thursday by Nigerian police. Prior to the demonstration, Paris recalled that “the security of passage and of diplomatic personnel (were) obligations under international law.” From Tuesday to Wednesday, 577 Frenchmen were evacuated. According to the leader of the junta, General Abdurakhaman Tiani, “there are no objective reasons” to “leave” the country.

The United States, Niger’s partners such as France, for their part, chartered a plane to evacuate their non-essential personnel from Niger when President Joe Biden called for “the immediate release of President Bazum.” The two allies of the country, which has been suffering from jihadist violence for several years, are sending 1,100 and 1,500 soldiers respectively, with no plans to evacuate.