By Chiamaka Okafor
In a dangerous turn of events, military-ruled Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have each declared their support for the coup in Niger.
Burkina Faso and Mali warned in a joint statement on Monday that any military intervention against Niamey would be considered a declaration of war against their nations.
“Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali,” they stated, adding that such a move could result in “disastrous consequences” that “could destabilise the entire region”.
The warning was read out on their national broadcasters a day after the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) threatened to use force to reinstate Niger’s deposed President Mohamed Bazoum should the coup plotters not comply after seven days.
“The transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali express their fraternal solidarity… to the people of Niger, who have decided with full responsibility to take their destiny in hand and assume the fullness of their sovereignty before history,” Aljazeera quoted the two countries as saying.
They described sanctions imposed on Niger as “illegal, illegitimate and inhumane against the people and authorities of Niger [and] hence will not apply them”.
In Guinea, a post on the social networking platform X read: “The National Committee of the Rally for Development (CNRD) firmly expressed its support for the people of this friendly country (Niger), emphasising the importance of the values of Pan-Africanism dear to the Head of State, Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya.”
It dissociated itself from the sanctions imposed by Ecowas.
Niger’s coup leaders named General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former presidential guard chief, as head of state, saying they overthrew Bazoum due to poor governance. They are also unhappy with the way he handled security threats from groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS/ISIL.
While countries declare support for the coup plotters, Niger’s military is arresting top officials of the toppled government. The mines minister, oil minister and head of the ruling party were among those arrested on Monday.
The interior minister, transport minister and a former defence minister have also been arrested.
Meanwhile, the French government announced on Tuesday the commencement of the evacuation of its nationals and other European nationals from Niger.
