Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum expressed his determination to safeguard the hard-earned democratic progress through social media on Thursday, just one day after being overthrown in a military coup.
The country’s foreign minister, Hassoumi Massoudou, also utilized X (formerly known as Twitter) to rally all democrats and patriots in an effort to thwart the coup.
These statements came in the aftermath of a late-night announcement on national television by soldiers on Wednesday, declaring Bazoum’s removal from power and the suspension of all republican institutions.
This incident marked the seventh coup in West and Central Africa since 2020.
Prior to this, members of the presidential guard had besieged the presidential palace in the capital city, Niamey, effectively confining Bazoum inside.
The situation has raised considerable regional and international apprehension regarding the instability in a country that plays a crucial role as a key ally for Western powers in combating insurgency in the Sahel region.
As of Thursday morning, President Bazoum remained confined within the presidential palace, according to statements made by Minister Massoudou during an interview with French broadcaster France 24. However, the minister’s own whereabouts were uncertain.
Niamey, the capital city, appeared calm on Thursday morning, with closed borders and a nationwide curfew enforced by the military as citizens woke up to the new restrictions.
As events unfolded on Wednesday, a group of Bazoum supporters gathered in the city to express their opposition to a change of power, as reported by a Reuters journalist. However, they were later dispersed.
The current leadership following the coup remains uncertain. While General Omar Tchiani heads the presidential guard, the televised statement announcing the coup was read by Colonel Amadou Abdramane, a member of the air force. Abdramane and nine other officers in military uniforms appeared in an office setting rather than a traditional television studio. He stated that the defense and security forces took action in response to the worsening security situation and perceived governance issues.
Niger, a land-locked country and a former French colony, is among several West African nations grappling with jihadist militants who have carried out a violent insurgency across the region over the past decade.
The frustration over the government’s inability to prevent violent attacks on towns and villages has contributed to the occurrence of two coups in Mali and two in Burkina Faso since 2020.
Niger’s significance has grown for Western powers involved in the fight against jihadists, especially as relations with the military governments of Burkina Faso and Mali have deteriorated, leading to foreign troop withdrawals.
