JABAR EKSPRES – Top officials in Niger’s military government ordered units to ‘maximum alert’, a month after the government ousted a democratically elected president and as tensions remain high.
“The threat of aggression against the national territory is increasingly felt,” according to a message on Friday (8/25) addressed to the military general staff and confirmed by a military source to Anadolu.
Niger has been plunged into chaos since July 26 when General Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last week demanded that the military restore constitutional order in Niger “to concentrate on the security of the country which has become increasingly ‘fragile’” since Bazoum was ousted.
The organization had previously ordered the activation of standby forces on August 10 to restore constitutional order, although fears of military intervention eased after Niger’s new authorities accepted an ECOWAS dialogue mission last week.
In a heated press conference at the organization’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, ECOWAS Commission Chairman Omar Alieu Touray said the use of force was not being considered to restore constitutional order in Niger.
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Through statements and debates in the local media, several political and civil society groups also warned France over its aggressive stance towards Niger.
Algerian people’s radio said on Tuesday (Aug 22) that the North African country rejected a French request to use Algerian airspace for military strikes on Niger. The French government denied the statement.
On Friday, Niger gave an ultimatum to the French ambassador stationed in Niamey to leave the country within 48 hours.
The military government cited the French government’s “actions contrary to Niger’s interests” as the underlying aspect of the demand.
