The military coup junta in Niger accused this Sunday “a foreign power” of preparing “an aggression” against its country in coordination with the Economic Community of West African States (Cedeao), which threatened the military with a military intervention if they do not restore constitutional order.
In one of the three communiqués read by Major Colonel Amadou Abdramane on public television during the evening news, the coup junta assures that it has “consistent information” about the preparations of “the forces of a foreign power” for an aggression against the country and “against its people” in coordination with ECOWAS and “terrorist armed groups”.
The board did not cite or elaborate on the foreign power it refers to.
In the same statement, number 24, the coup leaders accuse ECOWAS of “being in the pay” of this foreign power and warn against “any interference in the internal affairs of Niger” and of the “disastrous consequences of this military adventure” on the security, stability and unity of this region.
The coup junta in Niger affirmed this Sunday that the Community of West African States (Cedeao) completed “the planning of the war” against the African country and stressed that two Central African countries began with a pre-deployment of their troops.
In one of the three communiqués read by the major colonel, Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the coup junta calling itself the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland (CNSP), through public television, the junta warned that it “is closely following the preparations for this war by proxy”.
The coup junta denounced that ECOWAS planned the military action “despite the disapproval of the Nigerien population” and of the countries of the same regional bloc.
“The CNSP takes national and international opinion as a witness and affirms that any State from which any military action is directed against Niger will be considered as a co-belligerent,” the junta said in the statement, number 22.
The CNSP affirmed that the country's army “is ready to defend the integrity and honor” of the African country, while launching a “vibrant appeal” to the country's youth to “be prepared to defend the homeland.”
ECOWAS, which decreed financial and commercial sanctions against Niger, gave an ultimatum that defeated the coup leaders at midnight this Sunday to return the deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum, to power under the threat of military intervention.
However, the military option divides the countries of the African continent and even the members of ECOWAS itself. For now, the governments of Nigeria, Benin, the Ivory Coast and Senegal have clearly confirmed the availability of their armies to intervene in Nigerian territory.
At the other extreme, Mali and Burkina Faso, countries close to Moscow and governed by military juntas, oppose the use of force and claim that any intervention in Niger would amount to a declaration of war against them as well.
Guinea-Conakry, Algeria and Chad have also opposed the intervention.
For its part, France (a former colonial power and which has a strong military presence in Niger with 1,500 soldiers deployed within the framework of agreements signed in the fight against terrorism), affirmed yesterday that it “firmly and determinedly supports” the efforts ” of ECOWAS “to derail” the military coup in Niger.