Niger’s military revealed in a video released on Wednesday, that the country’s president Mohamed Bazoum has been under capture by members of the presidential guard. The men in the video are wearing a uniform similar to that of the military and claim to have taken control of the nation, dictating a coup and alarming the globe with its volatile nature of control.
Institutions and organisations have been shut off, with the borders closed temporarily along with a nationwide curfew until further notice from 10 pm to 5 am. This caused unrest has highlighted another spark of uncertainty in the region of Africa. Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane who introduced himself as the spokesperson for the Nigel Army on National Television has taken claims about putting the current political regime to end in collectiveness with others in the Military, as was present in the video communique as well. They quote the poor economic and social governance to be the reason for this attack.
Image source : Screenshot from the video that was aired by military on 26 July, 2024
The Foreign Minister, Hassoumi Massoudou, has given word that the totality of the military is not behind the coup and that only a part of it is the cause of this “attempted coup d’etat”. He also said that he has had a chance to talk with the President, who has been held in Niamey since his capture and is supposedly in “good health”. It is also reported that the members responsible have sealed off any access to the offices including the president’s residence in the capital. Not just this, but as supporters of Bazoum flooded the gates of the place, the defence took the support of shooting resulting in one person being injured.
Bazoum was elected as the President 2 years back in 2021, which was the first democratic transfer of power in Niger ever since it got independence from France in 1960. While Niger has had a history of multiple coups it was found to be more politically stable in recent years. The Sahel region of West Africa has been a victim and unbringer of coups including Niger’s neighbouring countries Burkina Faso and Mali.
What the world is saying
Support and criticisms, both, are pouring in from all over the world. United Nations Secretary, General Antonio Guterres stated his strong condemnation of the unconstitutional change of government in Niger while calling for an immediate end to all the actions that are proving to undermine the democratic principles in Niger.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had a similar reaction where they demanded those behind the coup to release the president and their hold on control on an immediate and unconstitutional basis. They also said that the president of the neighbouring country Benin, Patrice Talon, will be heading out to Niamey to mediate the situation and provide support in the state of insecurity.
Niger’s interior minister, Hamadou Souley, has also been arrested and was sequestrated along with the President and his family into a “suicidal and anti-republican madness” as per a statement. A few elements of the president are said to be behind this.
Image source : RFI
Niger’s past
Having had 4 coalitions in the past, this is another attempt to breach the country’s security. Niger is one of the counties confronting Islamist insurgencies. The nation suffers from 2 major issues.
One is poverty, which has simultaneously been keeping Niger at the bottom of the Human Development Index as per the UN, a list usually looked up to assess the well-being of the citizens of a country.Second is jihadism, one in the Southwest which flew in from Mali in 2015 and the other in the southeast, where it’s caused by the Nigerians.
In such a situation it has become more and more difficult for the people to rely on their nation to provide support and a sense of security making them choose to move out of the borders.
