The Nigerien soldiers who overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum accused France of wanting to “intervene militarily” to restore him to office, said a press release read Monday on national television.
The Nigerien soldiers who overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum accused France of wanting to “intervene militarily” to restore him to office, said a press release read Monday on national television. “In its line of conduct, going in the direction of finding ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France, with the complicity of certain Nigeriens, held a meeting at the staff of the National Guard of Niger , to obtain the necessary political and military authorizations,” the statement said.
In another press release, the putschists accuse “the security services” of a “Western chancellery”, without specifying which one, of having fired tear gas on Sunday in Niamey at demonstrators supporting the junta, “resulting in six injured, taken supported by the hospitals” of the capital.
A targeted embassy
French President Emmanuel Macron threatened on Sunday to respond “immediately and intractably” to any attack on French nationals and his interests in Niger, where thousands of protesters in favor of the military coup have targeted his embassy in Niamey. Some wanted to enter, before being dispersed by tear gas canisters.
Niger is a strategic partner of France, which currently has some 1,500 soldiers in this key country in the anti-jihadist fight. West African countries on Sunday set a one-week ultimatum to the military junta in Niger for a “full return to constitutional order”, saying they would not rule out a “use of force” if not. was not the case. France hailed “the decisions taken by the Heads of State” of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in Abuja.