The Chief of Staff of the Niger Army, Brigadier General Moussa Salaou Barmou, recently appointed by the coup-acting junta, ordered that all Armed Forces be mobilized on high alert, in a context marked by threats of regional military action in the country. In an urgent radio message issued in recent hours, the Nigerian general attributes his decision to “threats of aggression against the national territory that are becoming more and more palpable” and to “avoid a general surprise effect” and “provide an adequate response”. to these threats.
Niger has been experiencing a political crisis since July 26, when a military junta – calling itself the National Council for the Salvation of the Homeland (CNSP) and led by the former head of the Presidential Guard, General Abdourahamane Tiani – ousted President Mohamed Bazoum (under house arrest since then) and suspended the Constitution.
The coup was condemned by the international community and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which enacted tough economic and trade sanctions against Niger (a member of the bloc before it was suspended) and also threatened military action against the leaders of the coup to restore constitutional order.
The president of Nigeria and current leader of ECOWAS, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said this Friday that he is trying to “brake” the bloc to avoid military intervention against the coup-leading junta and to continue defending dialogue. Several countries have expressed their rejection of the military option, including neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, also governed by military junta; both warned that any military action against Niger would amount to a declaration of war against them.
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