The Biafra Post: Niger coup

Showing posts with label Niger coup. Show all posts

Niger coup

Internal resistance erupts in Niger as former Niger rebel launches anti-coup movement

at 11:13:00 0

Biafra post

Published on the Biafra Post

August 9, 2023

Niger coup officials in military garb deliver speech

Members of a military council that staged a coup in Niger attend a rally at a stadium in Niamey, Niger, August 6, 2023 [Mahamadou Hamidou/Reuters]

A former rebel leader and politician in Niger has launched a movement opposing the military government that took power in a July 26 coup, a first sign of internal resistance to army rule in the strategically important Sahel country.

In a statement seen on Wednesday, Rhissa Ag Boula said his new Council of Resistance for the Republic (CRR) aims to reinstate overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum who has been in detention at his residence since the takeover.

“Niger is the victim of a tragedy orchestrated by people charged with protecting it,” the statement said.

The announcement comes as diplomatic efforts to reverse the coup have stalled after the military government rejected the latest diplomatic mission from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Niger’s coup leaders denied entry to African and United Nations envoys on Tuesday, resisting pressure to negotiate before a summit on Thursday at which heads of state from the ECOWAS will discuss the possible use of force.Ag Boula’s statement said it supports ECOWAS and any other international actors seeking to restore constitutional order in Niger, adding that it would make itself available to the bloc for any useful purpose.

Another CRR member said several Nigerien political figures had joined the group but could not make their allegiance public for safety reasons.

Ag Boula played a leading role in uprisings by Tuaregs, a nomadic ethnic group present in Niger’s desert north, in the 1990s and 2000s. Like many former rebels, he was integrated into government under Bazoum and his predecessor Mahamadou Issoufou.

While the extent of support for the CRR is unclear, Ag Boula’s statement will worry the coup leaders given his influence among Tuaregs who control commerce and politics in much of the vast north. Support from Tuaregs would be key to securing the military government’s control beyond Niamey’s city limits.

Democratic ECOWAS member states such as Nigeria want the reinstatement of the civilian government that had been relatively successful in containing a deadly campaign by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) which has devastated the Sahel region.

Mutinous soldiers detained Bazoum and seized power on July 26, claiming they could do a better job at protecting the nation from the violence.

The coup comes as a blow to many countries in the West, which saw Niger as one of the last democratic partners in the region against the expansionist threat of armed groups. Niger also matters to the global market on various fronts, including its 5 percent share of the global supply of uranium.

The coup has already led to border and airspace closures that have cut off supplies of medicine and food, hampering humanitarian aid in one of the world’s poorest countries.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said late on Tuesday that he had spoken to Bazoum to express continued efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

“The United States reiterates our call for the immediate release of him and his family,” he posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Nigeria’s President and ECOWAS chairman Bola Tinubu imposed more sanctions on Niger on Tuesday, aimed at squeezing entities and individuals involved in the takeover, and said all options were still on the table.

ECOWAS has said the use of force would be the last resort. The bloc’s defence chiefs have agreed on a possible military action plan, which heads of state will discuss at their summit on Thursday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

But Mali and Burkina Faso, ECOWAS members that have rejected Western allies since their own military took power in coups in the past three years, have promised to defend Niger’s new army rulers from any forceful attempt to remove them.

In a letter to the UN, they called on the Security Council to prevent any armed action against Niger, saying it would have unpredictable consequences such as the break-up of ECOWAS, a humanitarian disaster, and a worsening security situation.

Accusing Western powers of using ECOWAS as a proxy to conceal a hostile agenda towards Niger, they said they were committed to finding solutions through diplomacy and negotiation.

Mali and Burkina Faso previously said they would treat any military intervention in Niger as an act of war.

Further complicating the diplomatic picture is the influence of Russia in the Sahel region, which Western powers fear could grow stronger if the military government in Niger follows Mali’s example by throwing out Western troops and inviting in Wagner mercenaries.

Niger currently hosts US, French, German and Italian troops under agreements made with the now-deposed civilian government.

Niger coup

ECOWAS Delegation: How Abdulsalami, Sultan were humiliated by Niger junta

at 19:18:00 0

Biafra post

The ECOWAS delegation to Niger led by former Nigerian military leader Abdulsalami Abubakar was humiliated Thursday by the Nigerien junta as the members were prevented from leaving the airport, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Published on the Biafra Post
August 8, 2023

A Nigerian government source briefed about the visit told this newspaper that the three-man team sent to negotiate with the junta leaders was not allowed into the country.

Before departing Abuja, the delegation had informed Niamey of its mission and the latter showed readiness to receive them, the source said. However, this turned out to be a plot to humiliate the sub-regional bloc.

ECOWAS on Wednesday named Mr Abubakar, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, as envoys to Niger. They were expected to engage all stakeholders robustly with a view to doing whatever it takes to ensure a conclusive and amicable resolution of the situation in Niger for the purposes of African peace and development.

According to the source, the delegation was received from the aircraft at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, when they arrived at the Niamey airport, by a five-man team led by General Moussa Barmou (Head of General Staff). The general, however, told them that they could not be allowed into the city, citing security reasons.

FIRS
The delegation was taken to a room in the airport, the source told PREMIUM TIMES.

Pictures of the delegation and Niger soldiers sitting at a table emerged online last Thursday with many thinking that was part of the official meetings the ECOWAS delegation was sent to hold.

ECOWAS special envoys General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Sultan Muhammad Saad Abubakar III in a meeting with representatives of the Nigerien military junta. The junta is represented at the meeting by General Barmou and other top brass. [PHOTO CREDIT: @Abdulfagge]
ECOWAS special envoys General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Sultan Muhammad Saad Abubakar III in a meeting with representatives of the Nigerien military junta. The junta is represented at the meeting by General Barmou and other top brass. [PHOTO CREDIT: @Abdulfagge]
However, contrary to public perception, the picture was that of the ECOWAS leaders being kept in a room at the airport by the soldiers who came to receive them.

After about five hours of pleading to be allowed into the city to see the leader of the junta General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the team left Niger making no headway.

The ECOWAS delegation was told to return to Nigeria while the junta reviews their request and revert. They arrived in Nigeria at about 1:00 a.m. on Friday.

Third Delegation

The Abdulsalami-led delegation is however not the first delegation to be sent to Niger by ECOWAS. It is in fact the third.

In the early hours of Wednesday, 26 July, when President Mohamed Bazoum was still detained and the coup had not been officially announced, a three-member team led by the Director General of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar, was also sent to negotiate with the coup leaders.

Former Governor of Katsina Aminu Masari and Chief of Air Staff Hassan Abubakar were part of the team, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

They were quickly dispatched to Niger when the news of President Bazoum’s detention came in.

However, as soon as the delegation left Niamey, the coup was declared; a clear indication that the mission

Another delegation was sent after the coup was officially announced. The delegation was sent on the day the ECOWAS Heads of State met in Abuja in an emergency meeting convened by the chair, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.

The President of Chad, Mahamat Dérby, was sent to Niger where he met with the junta leader, Mr Bazoum and former President Mahamadou Issoufou.

ⓘ

He offered the junta a “soft landing” which was also rejected.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)
The Chad leader shared pictures he took with Mr Bazoum and the coup leaders on the social networking platform, X (formerly called Twitter).

Après avoir effectué ce matin un séjour éclair de consultation à Abuja au Nigeria sur l’invitation du président Nigérian, Président en exercice de la CEDEAO, j’ai bouclé mon déplacement par une visite au #Niger qui traverse une crise politique majeure.

À Niamey, j’ai eu des… pic.twitter.com/jxiM0TCiXS

— Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno (@GmahamatIdi) July 30, 2023

Benin’s President Patrice Talon was also sent to Niger. However, it remains unclear if he made the trip.

When asked about the outcome of the visit of the Abdulsalami-led delegation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adamu Lamuwa, last Friday said “Negotiations are ongoing, it is too early to preempt the outcome of the discussion.”

ALSO READ: Niger Coup: Customs boss urges vigilance at Benin Republic, Cameroon borders
PREMIUM TIMES also reached Mr Tinubu’s spokesperson Ajuri Ngalele for comments. In response, he shared a post he made on X which read, “H.E. President @officialABAT on Sunday evening met with Governors of States that share boundaries with Niger Republic at the State House in Abuja. The meeting was part of wider consultations by the President on the situation in Niger.”

The governors of Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, Katsina, and Jigawa were in attendance at the meeting.

ECOWAS last Sunday issued a seven days ultimatum to the Niger putschists to ensure a return to democracy. However, the deadline lapsed Sunday night and there has been no formal announcement of the next line of action by the regional bloc.

ECOWAS defence chiefs met in Nigeria between Wednesday and Friday last week agreeing on a plan of action.

“All the elements that would go into any eventual intervention have been brought out here and been refined, including the timing, the resources needed and the how and where and when we are going to deploy such a force,” said Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security at the meeting of defence chiefs.

President Tinubu last week notified the National Assembly of the ECOWAS resolutions including the possibility of troops deployment. Parliamentary approval would be needed to deploy Nigeria’s troops.

Niger coup

Military Option: Senate turns down Tinubu’s War Request against Niger

at 10:30:00 0

Biafra post

Niger coup

Urges ECOWAS Leaders to strengthen political and diplomatic options to resolve the political compass in Niger Republic

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

Published on the Biafra Post

August 5, 2023

The Senate has asked the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS and other leaders of the region to tread softly in addressing the political quagmire in Niger Republic.

Rising from a closed-door session that lasted close to two hours to discuss the letter written to the Senate on Friday by President Bola Tinubu on the decisions taken by the regional body, the Senate asked ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means to resolve the political compass in the Niger Republic.

The Senate while condemning the Niger coup in totality, commended the chairman, President Bola Tinubu and other Heads of State of the other States of ECOWAS for their prompt response and the positions taken on the unfortunate development in Niger Republic.

Reading the resolutions of the Senators after the meeting, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said that “the Senate recognizes that President Tinubu via his correspondence has not asked for the approval of the parliament of this Senate to go to war as erroneously suggested in some quarters.

“Rather Mr President has expressed a wish to respectfully solicit the support of the National Ass in the successful implementation of the resolutions of the ECOWAS as outlined in the said communication.

“The Senate calls on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen political and diplomatic options and other means intending to resolve the political compass in Niger Republic.

“The National Assembly to the ECOWAS under the leadership of President Tinubu in resolving the political situation in Niger and returning the country to democratic governance in the nearest future.

“The leadership of the Senate is mandated to further engage with the president and commander in chief with on behalf of the Senate and the entire National Assembly on how best to resolve the issue given the hitherto existing cordial relationship between Nigerieans and Nigerians.

“Finally, the Senate calls on the ECOWAS parliament to rise to the occasion by equally condemning this coup and also positing solutions to resolving this compass as soon as possible.”

Niger coup

Breaking News ! Niger coup : ECOWAS Military Chiefs’ opposed Tinubu's Milìtary Option, Says regional Military will prioritize diplomacy, dialogue and Promote rule of law

at 23:28:00 0

Biafra post

Published on the Biafra Post

August 5, 2023

The security committee of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), made up of Military Chiefs from various countries, announced on Friday their decision to prioritize diplomacy in handling the ongoing political turmoil in Niger.

The decision came after a two-day meeting involving Chiefs of Defence Staff from Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Cote’Divoire, Cabo Verde and the Republic of Benin.

Notably, representatives from Mali, Niger, Guinea, and Burkina Faso were absent.

Presided over by Gen. Christopher Musa, President of ECOWAS Military Chiefs, the meeting concluded with a commitment to strengthen diplomatic efforts and prioritize dialogue and negotiation in resolving the crisis in Niger, as stated by Gen. Musa during a press briefing.

Musa said, “It has been an honour to preside over this extraordinary meeting on the situation of the recent coup in the Niger Republic as the President of this honourable committee of the CDS of ECOWAS States.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you for your insightful contributions, thoughtful deliberations, and unwavering commitment to the cause of peace and stability in our region.

“Throughout our discussions, we have collectively recognized the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for a well-coordinated response. The deliberations have been marked by a spirit of unity, cooperation and determination to address the challenges at hand.

“We have examined the immediate implications of the coup on the Niger Republic and its potential ripple effects across the ECOWAS region. We have also deliberated on the broader implications for democracy, peace, and stability in West Africa.

“I am pleased to note that our discussions have yielded valuable insights and actionable recommendations. We have acknowledged the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses political, security, and diplomatic dimensions.

“It is imperative that we translate our deliberations into concrete actions that can effectively address the crisis and prevent a recurrence in the future.

“Firstly, we must emphasize the importance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law. The coup in the Niger Republic represents a blatant disregard for these fundamental principles that underpin our regional integration and stability. We must unequivocally condemn such actions and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to democracy.

“Secondly, we must strengthen our regional security architecture and enhance our collective response to security challenges. The coup in the Niger Republic has highlighted the fragility of our region and the need for a robust and proactive security framework.

“We must enhance intelligence sharing, joint training exercises, and capacity-building initiatives among our defence and security forces to effectively combat threats to our collective security and enhance interoperability.

“Thirdly, we must intensify our diplomatic efforts to engage with all relevant stakeholders. Dialogue and negotiation should be at the forefront of our approach to resolving the crisis in the Republic of Niger.

“We must engage with the transitional authorities, civil society organizations, and other key actors to foster an inclusive and peaceful transition process.”

ECOWAS made it clear that they’re committed to preventing unconstitutional power changes in the region.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah remarked that the recent trend of successful and unsuccessful military coups, estimated to be eight to nine in the last three years, has put the region’s democratic stability at risk.

Musah stressed the urgency of addressing this situation, mentioning that all ECOWAS member states were governed by democratically elected presidents just three years ago, but the threat of military takeovers has increased lately.

He reminded that the defence chiefs’ meeting was guided by the Protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security, which was adopted in 1999 and universally accepted by all member states in 2001.

Musah said, “Respected chiefs of defence staff of our region, this is a clarion call to you. This is a test of the will of our militaries to demonstrate that we have a democratically minded military whose responsibility is the protection of the state.

“So the diplomacy is being given a chance to succeed and like we said, the military option is the very last on the table. And if we can avoid that, a peaceful resolution is our preferred option but we have to prepare for all eventualities.

“The time has come again for ECOWAS to show that we are a rules-based organisation, we are rule-based countries; we cannot allow the rule by the Ballot Box to be replaced by the rule of Kalashnikovs.”