NIGER | Niger's Military Junta have one week to end the Coup says West African Leaders, ECOWAS

NAIMEY,  Niger, July 30, 2023 - Presidential guards who last week overthrew the democratically elected  President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, have one week to end the coup or face economic and military action by the group of West African leaders who make up  the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) .

“No more time for warning signals, it’s time for action,” said Nigeria’s President and ECOWAS Chairman Bola Tinubu during his address as leaders of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States met in Abuja on Sunday to discuss the recent coup in the Republic of Niger  which has left President Mohammmed Bazoum in detention after being overthrown by members of his presidential guard. 

Tinubu said it was time to be “strong, forceful and resolute” in ensuring the re-instatement of Bazoum.

The ECOWAS leaders emerged from the extraordinary meeting and issued a one-week ultimatum to the military junta holding Bazoum hostage to reinstate him as President.

“We should walk our talk,” Tinubu said just before President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr.Omar Alieu-Touray, read the communique of the close-door meeting of the West African Heads of State and Government.

Addressing the “attepted overthrow” of the constitutional order in Niger, ECOWAS reiterated its “zero-tolerance” for unconstitutional change of government in the sub-region and condemned “in the strongest terms” Bazoum’s overthrow and detention.

They insisted that Bazoum is recognised as the legitimate, elected president of Niger by the African Union and the international community.

They also rejected any purported resignation from Bazoum.

“If the authorities’ demands are not met within one week, ECOWAS will take all necessary measures, including the use of force, to restore constitutional order,” it said.

It said those responsible for violence and terror against the citizens and residents of Niger will be held accountable.

In what could be seen as a veiled reference to Russian mercenary and leader of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, it condemned the pronouncement of support by foreign governments and private military contractors.

Immediate actions to be taken by ECOWAS include the closure of land and air borders within ECOWAS countries and establishing an echo no-fly zone for commercial flights to and from Niger.

There will also be a freezing of assets and suspension of all financial assistance transactions including of bodies that support the coup attempt.

ECOWAS also imposed travel bans and asset freezes for military officials involved in the coup attempt, and extended it to their family members and civilians supporting their institutions or government.

It said a representative of the ECOWAS Chair will be dispatched to Niger to deliver the demands of the authority.

Earlier, the junta warned it would resist any "plan of aggression against Niger" by regional or Western powers.

Ahead of their meeting, Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani - the head of the presidential guards unit who has declared himself Niger's new leader - warned ECOWAS and unnamed Western nations against stepping in.

"We once again reiterate to ECOWAS or any other adventurer our firm determination to defend our fatherland," the statement, which was read out on TV, said.

The coup has prompted concern that Niger, a former French colony, could pivot towards Russia.

The ousted president had worked closely with both regional and Western nations to fight militant Islamists in Niger.

Meanwhile Burkina Faso and Mali both moved closer to Russia after their own coups.

In Niamey, some of the protesters outside the French embassy chanted "Long live Russia", "Long live Putin" and "Down with France", AFP news agency reports.

France would not tolerate any attack on its interests in Niger, and would respond in an "immediate and intractable manner", President Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement.