By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila and Boureima Balima Reuters
The West African bloc ECOWAS stands able to intervene militarily in Niger ought to diplomatic efforts to reverse a coup there fail, a senior official instructed military chiefs who have been assembly in Ghana to debate the small print of a standby drive.
Niger army officers deposed President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and have defied calls from the United Nations, ECOWAS and Western powers to reinstate him, prompting West African heads of state to order the standby drive to be assembled.
“Let nobody be doubtful that if every part else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa…are able to reply to the decision of responsibility,” ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Safety Abdel-Fatau Musah stated.
“By all means accessible, constitutional order shall be restored within the nation,” he instructed assembled defence chiefs from member nations, itemizing previous ECOWAS deployments in Gambia, Liberia and elsewhere as examples of readiness.
Niger has strategic significance past West Africa due to its position as a hub for international troops concerned within the struggle towards Islamist insurgents within the Sahel area and its uranium and oil reserves.
Western nations concern the junta may observe the lead of neighbouring Mali, the place the army authorities threw out French troops and as an alternative invited in mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group, which has welcomed the coup in Niger.
In Niger’s capital Niamey, the place giant crowds have taken half in protests towards ECOWAS and in favour of the coup leaders, residents rejected the concept of an out of doors intervention to reinstate the elected president and civilian authorities.
“I’m not afraid as a result of I do know our armed forces are properly ready to cope with any eventuality,” stated radio technician Omar Yaye.
“ECOWAS is manipulated by international powers. After we see the reactions of France because the coup and particularly the harshness of ECOWAS I can solely suppose that these are coordinated actions between France and ECOWAS,” he stated, echoing anti-French rhetoric utilized by the junta because the coup.
‘CAT AND MOUSE’
France, Niger’s former colonial ruler, has denied the junta’s accusation that it was looking for to destabilise the nation or that it had violated its airspace. It has stated it supported ECOWAS efforts to revive constitutional order.
French troops, together with U.S., German and Italian forces, are current in Niger as a part of worldwide efforts to fight the Islamist insurgents who’ve induced hundreds of deaths and compelled thousands and thousands to flee their properties over the previous decade.
Musah rejected the accusation that ECOWAS was being manipulated by France or another outdoors energy.
“What they neglect is that ECOWAS is a rules-based organisation. We now have our protocols, we’ve got our norms and we’re prepared to guard them,” he stated.
“That’s why the heads of state are saying if push involves shove we’re going into Niger with our personal contingents, personal gear and our personal assets to verify we restore constitutional order. If different democracy-loving companions wish to assist us they’re welcome,” he stated.
Musah {accused} the Niger coup leaders of “taking part in cat-and-mouse” with ECOWAS by refusing to satisfy with its envoys and looking for justifications for his or her takeover of energy.
He stated many of the bloc’s 15 member states have been ready to take part within the standby drive that might intervene in Niger. The exceptions have been these additionally beneath army rule – Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea – and tiny Cape Verde.
Musah criticised the junta’s announcement that it had components to place Bazoum, who’s being detained, on trial for treason. The United Nations, European Union and ECOWAS have all expressed issues over the circumstances of his detention.
“The irony of it’s that anyone who’s in a hostage state of affairs himself…is being charged with treason. When did he commit that prime treason is everyone’s guess,” Musah stated.
