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Head of Presidential Guard Claims Power in Niger Coup Head of Presidential Guard Claims Power in Niger Coup
(about 5 hours later)
The commander of the presidential guard in Niger claimed the leadership of the West African country with a televised address on Friday, two days after his military unit detained the democratically elected president and threw into uncertainty the future of a key Western ally in the region. The commander of Niger’s presidential guard claimed the leadership of the West African country with a televised address on Friday, two days after his military unit detained the democratically elected president and threw the future of a key Western ally in the region into uncertainty.
“We have decided to intervene and seize our responsibilities,” Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who goes by the first name Omar, said on state television, where he was identified onscreen as the president of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country. “We can’t continue with the same approaches.” “We have decided to intervene and seize our responsibilities,” Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who goes by the first name, Omar, said on state television. “We can’t continue with the same approaches.”
Niger, a poor country rich in uranium, lies in the Sahel, the arid region south of the Sahara that has faced growing insecurity amid the worsening effects of climate change, political instability and armed insurgencies. The United States has 1,100 troops and two drone bases in Niger, and France, the former colonial power, more than 1,500 troops.Niger, a poor country rich in uranium, lies in the Sahel, the arid region south of the Sahara that has faced growing insecurity amid the worsening effects of climate change, political instability and armed insurgencies. The United States has 1,100 troops and two drone bases in Niger, and France, the former colonial power, more than 1,500 troops.
The military takeover in Niger is the sixth in West Africa in less than three years, following in the steps of Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali, and threatening to upend efforts in the region to fight Islamist insurgencies by groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.The military takeover in Niger is the sixth in West Africa in less than three years, following in the steps of Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali, and threatening to upend efforts in the region to fight Islamist insurgencies by groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
The coup, Niger’s fifth since gaining independence from France in 1960, could deal a fatal blow to the country’s nascent democracy: It had its first peaceful, democratic transition of power only a few years ago when President Mohamed Bazoum was elected.
An aide to Mr. Bazoum and analysts said in interviews in the last two days that the president had been planning to remove General Tchiani as leader of the presidential guard.An aide to Mr. Bazoum and analysts said in interviews in the last two days that the president had been planning to remove General Tchiani as leader of the presidential guard.
General Tchiani, however, said his soldiers had unseated President Mohamed Bazoum because of poor management of the economy and the fight against the militants. General Tchiani, however, said his soldiers had unseated Mr. Bazoum because of poor management of the economy and the fight against the militants.
While saying that he appreciated the “support of our external partners” — an apparent reference to the United States and European countries — he also faulted Niger’s leadership for not partnering with the military juntas in neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, which have moved close to Russia in recent years.While saying that he appreciated the “support of our external partners” — an apparent reference to the United States and European countries — he also faulted Niger’s leadership for not partnering with the military juntas in neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, which have moved close to Russia in recent years.
“The current security approach hasn’t enabled us to secure our country,” he said.“The current security approach hasn’t enabled us to secure our country,” he said.
He did not say anything about Mr. Bazoum, whose fate remained unclear on Friday morning. A Western military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said members of the presidential guard were still detaining the president with his family. A military officer later announced on Friday that Niger’s Constitution had been suspended and that a new transitional body was taking charge of the country’s executive and legislative powers. The officer said that General Tchiani would be the president of the new body.
The general himself briefly appeared on national television, standing in a group of 17 military officers who formed the new transitional council, with cheerful music in the background.
The U.S. secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, has called for the immediate release of the detained president. A source close to Mr. Bazoum, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he was in good health despite three days in detention, and that he still had access to his telephone.
“He and his family are a bargaining chip now,” said Nathaniel Powell, an Africa analyst with Oxford Analytica, a risk analysis firm based in Britain.
Niger, a country of 26 million and the world’s third poorest, according to the United Nations, has also been a favored recipient of humanitarian aid and Western funding as one of the last democracies run by a civilian president in the region.Niger, a country of 26 million and the world’s third poorest, according to the United Nations, has also been a favored recipient of humanitarian aid and Western funding as one of the last democracies run by a civilian president in the region.
The future of these efforts now appears to be in doubt. The future of these efforts now appears to be in doubt. An influential official, General Tchiani had been named as the head of the presidential guard in 2011 by Mr. Bazoum’s predecessor, Mahamadou Issoufou.
Hours before General Tchiani’s television address on Friday, the streets of Niamey, the capital, remained calm, with banks closed but many businesses open. The generals supporting the coup had closed the country’s borders and ordered the suspension of political activities. A nighttime curfew remained in place. The general was accused of participating in a coup attempt in 2015, but denied any involvement and ultimately remained close to Mr. Issoufou, who stayed in power until 2021, when Mr. Bazoum took office.
The United States, the United Nations and the West African economic bloc, known as ECOWAS, have all condemned the military takeover. Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken, who spoke with Mr. Bazoum on Thursday, called for his immediate release. The presidential guard comprises hundreds of well-equipped and -trained troops, according to Nigerien and Western security analysts, with more funds allocated to its officers than other military branches.
France said in a statement issued by its foreign ministry on Friday afternoon that it did not recognize the transitional authorities led by General Tchiani. The United States, the United Nations and the West African economic bloc, known as ECOWAS, have all condemned the military takeover, and the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday afternoon that it did not recognize new leaders of Niger.
In Niamey on Thursday, hundreds of protesters had gathered in support of the military. Some shouted “Bazoum has fallen, we’re free,” in Zarma, one of the languages spoken in Niger. Others waved Russian flags in a scene reminiscent of previous coups in Burkina Faso and Mali, two countries General Tchiani vowed to work more closely with. The streets of Niamey, the capital, remained mostly calm following General Tchiani’s television address, with banks closed but many businesses open. The generals supporting the coup had closed the country’s borders, ordered political activities suspended and imposed a nighttime curfew.
Residents in Niamey appeared divided over the takeover. Salifou Mahamdou, a clothes seller, said in a market that he welcomed the coup because insecurity had long slowed down development. “Even if the military stays in power forever, who cares, as long as they grant us security,” he said.
Aïcha Habibou, a 20-year-old nurse, said she thought little would change. “Whenever there’s a coup,” she said, “the officers give us the same speech about change, but they also come to steal public money.”
In Niamey on Thursday, hundreds of demonstrators had gathered in support of the military. Some shouted “Bazoum has fallen, we’re free.” Others waved Russian flags in a scene reminiscent of recent coups in Burkina Faso and Mali.
Military officers in Mali have partnered with Russia’s Wagner mercenary company to fight Islamist insurgents. The prime minister of Burkina Faso traveled to Moscow a few months after a military junta seized power there.Military officers in Mali have partnered with Russia’s Wagner mercenary company to fight Islamist insurgents. The prime minister of Burkina Faso traveled to Moscow a few months after a military junta seized power there.
A shift in alliances could have major implications for Western countries and international bodies. The United Nations has planned to use Niger as a logistical hub for the withdrawal of its 13,000-personnel peacekeeping operation in neighboring Mali, which is scheduled to depart at the end of the year. France depends on Niger’s uranium mines for about 15 percent of the resources needed to fuel its nuclear power plants.A shift in alliances could have major implications for Western countries and international bodies. The United Nations has planned to use Niger as a logistical hub for the withdrawal of its 13,000-personnel peacekeeping operation in neighboring Mali, which is scheduled to depart at the end of the year. France depends on Niger’s uranium mines for about 15 percent of the resources needed to fuel its nuclear power plants.
Some of the pro-military protesters on Thursday set off to the headquarters of Mr. Bazoum’s political party where they broke dozens of cars, stole refrigerators, tables and other goods inside the party’s building, before setting it on fire. Mr. Powell called Mr. Bazoum’s leadership one of the best in the region, mixing a strong military response to security crises with development projects and partnerships with Western countries.
Omar Hama Saley contributed reporting from Niamey, Niger. Niger had taken advantage of the collapses of civilian order in Burkina Faso and Mali, he said, to strengthen ties with the West. But he added that Western countries working with Niger had turned a blind eye to long-running dysfunctions within the country’s military.