Several thousand people have demonstrated in the capital of Niger in support of last month’s military coup, whose leader has warned against outside intervention and proposed a three-year transition of power.
The demonstrators chanted slogans hostile to former colonial power France and West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, which is considering a potential military operation to reinstate elected president Mohamed Bazoum, if ongoing negotiations with coup leaders fail.
The Sahel state’s new military leaders have officially banned demonstrations but in practice, those in support of the coup are allowed to go ahead.
The demonstrators waved placards, saying “Stop the military intervention” and “No to sanctions”, in reference to the financial and trade restrictions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) four days after the coup on July 26.
The pro-coup rally was accompanied by musicians praising the new military regime, AFP journalists reported.
The latest in a string of pro-coup rallies came a day after the new military ruler in Niamey warned that an attack on Niger would not be a “walk in the park”.
Read Also; Ebonyi PDP seeks end to defection by politicians
General Abdourahamane Tiani also said in a televised address on Saturday that he did not wish to “confiscate” power and a transition of power back to civilian rule would not go beyond three years.
Niger’s new leaders have accused France, a close Bazoum ally, of being behind the anti-coup stance taken by ECOWAS, which on Saturday made a fresh push for a diplomatic solution.
After ECOWAS chiefs of staff met in the Ghanaian capital Accra on Friday, the 17-nation bloc said it had agreed on a date for a potential intervention.
It nonetheless sent a diplomatic delegation to Niamey on Saturday, led by former Nigerian leader Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Niger television showed delegation members shaking hands with Bazoum, who remains in detention.
It also broadcast footage of Abubakar speaking to Tiani but the content of the exchange has not been made public.
In his televised address on Saturday, Tiani alleged that ECOWAS was “getting ready to attack Niger by setting up an occupying army in collaboration with a foreign army”, without saying which country he meant.
But he added: “If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think.”
Tiani also announced a 30-day period of “national dialogue” to draw up “concrete proposals” to lay the foundations of “a new constitutional life”.
Pope calls for peace
Pope Francis yesterday urged a diplomatic solution to the political crisis in Niger.
“I am following with concern what is happening in Niger, and join the bishops’ call in favour of peace in the country and stability in the Sahel,” said Pope Francis, addressing the faithful in St Peter’s Square after his Angelus prayer.
“I join with prayer the efforts of the international community to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible for the good of everyone,” said the 86-year-old.
Army officers ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, making Niger the fourth West African nation to suffer a coup since 2020.
But, a group, Advocacy for Peace and Socio-economic Empowerment of Women and Youth (APSEWY), has called on ECOWAS to extend time for dialogue with Niger Republic.
The group, which made the call at a news conference yesterday in Kaduna, also called on President Bola Tinubu as
leader of ECOWAS, to continue using diplomatic negotiations, not war.
Chairman of the group, Fareeda Umar-Bakori, stated that Nigeria and Niger Republic had enjoyed good relationship over the years, supporting each other on critical issues of national security.
“Both Nigeria and Niger based diplomatic relations upon non- interference in the internal affairs of the other.
“Any military intervention against Niger will unavoidably and directly affect Northern Nigeria by worsening and further destabilising the region which has been plagued by insecurity.
“It may also lead to humanitarian crises, as Nigeriens will migrate to northern states if the war intensifies,” she said.