As ECOWAS prepares for military intervention, Niger coup leaders threaten to kill ousted prez Bazoum
Niamey
A supporter of Niger’s National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) holds up a placeard with a photo of General Abdourahamane Tiani on in Niamey on August 6, 2023.
Hours before ECOWAS reiterated its earlier threat, reports emerged that Niger junta leaders were planning to kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum
With the prospect of military intervention by the Western African leaders looming large, reports have emerged that the Niger coup leaders have threatened to kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if the neighbouring countries resort to restoring his rule.
AP news agency citing two Western officials reported on Thursday (Aug 10) that during a meeting with US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, the Niger military leaders said they would kill Bazoum if the West African bloc ECOWAS uses any military force.
The report from AP comes hours after the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) reiterated its earlier threat and ordered the activation of its standby force.
As ECOWAS prepares for military intervention, Niger coup leaders threaten to kill ousted prez Bazoum
Bazoum, who was deposed on July 26, is being held hostage at his residence.
ECOWAS seeks peaceful resolution
The response from ECOWAS came during a meeting in Nigeria’s Abuja on Thursday where they discussed their responses to the military coup after the junta leaders defied their call to restore democracy.
Additionally, the bloc pledged to impose more sanctions and travel bans on those preventing the return to power of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
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“No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort,” said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, the ECOWAS chair, at the end of the summit.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Niger in the journey towards peaceful democratic stability,” he said.
“I hope that through our collective effort, we can bring about a peaceful resolution as a roadmap to restoring stability and democracy in Niger. All is not lost yet.”
West African leaders prepare for intervention
After the conclusion of the meeting, an official communique was issued which mentioned a resolution asking the bloc’s defence chiefs to “activate the ECOWAS Standby Force with all its elements immediately”.
Another resolution spoke of ordering “the deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger”, immediately followed by another that spoke of restoring such order “through peaceful means”.
The meeting comes days after Niger’s coup leaders appointed a new interim government.
Mahamane Roufai Laouali, cited as “secretary general of the government”, named 21 ministers, without specifying any further government plans