West African leaders have ordered the region’s defence chiefs to put their military forces on “standby” as they seek to ramp up pressure on Niger’s ruling junta following last month’s coup.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) said in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency summit in Nigeria on Thursday that it was keeping all options on the table for a peaceful resolution, as it reiterated a demand for the regime to release deposed president Mohamed Bazoum and reinstate constitutional order.
The standby order keeps open the option for military intervention in Niger after its now-ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland ignored Ecowas’s August 6th deadline to reinstate the pro-West Mr Bazoum. Ecowas said on Thursday that the ruling junta had “repelled” its mediation efforts.
The regime had earlier unveiled a series of cabinet appointments as part of efforts to strengthen its grip on power, as fears were raised over Mr Bazoum’s wellbeing. Supporters of the deposed president, who has said he is being held “hostage”, have complained that he has been denied access to fresh food, medicines or doctors since last week.
The president was surviving on basic food in “inhumane” and “cruel” conditions, without running water or electricity, his Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism said.
UN secretary general António Guterres said he was concerned for Mr Bazoum’s health and safety and has called for the president’s “immediate, unconditional release and his reinstatement as head of state”.
Ecowas has threatened to use military force if necessary to restore constitutional order, but domestic opposition in Nigeria has limited the scope of any possible intervention.
The junta, led by Gen Omar Tchiani who previously ran Mr Bazoum’s presidential guard, has spurned diplomatic efforts to seek a solution to the unfolding crisis. It refused permission for an African Union and Ecowas convoy to travel to Niamey this week after closing the country’s airspace.
US deputy secretary of state Victoria Nuland was also denied a meeting with Gen Tchiani when she held what she described as “difficult” talks in Niamey this week with other junta leaders.
But the junta has since met Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a former Nigerian central bank governor and an influential Islamic leader. He met Gen Tchiani and briefed Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu on his return to Abuja, offering a chance for diplomatic talks to continue.
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Since the coup last month Niger has been hit with Ecowas sanctions that have caused the prices of food and basic commodities to rise sharply in the landlocked nation of 25 million people, which is heavily reliant on its neighbours for supplies. Nigeria, which supplies most of Niger’s electricity, has cut off power, leading to lengthy outages.
Former rebel leader Rhissa Ag Boula on Wednesday announced the formation of an organisation opposed to the coup and dedicated to reinstating Bazoum, the first sign of internal dissent against the coup leaders.
Niger’s cabinet will be led by newly-appointed prime minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, a finance minister for eight years until 2010, who will also double as finance minister.
Col Amadou Abdramane, who announced the coup on July 26th and has been acting as the junta’s spokesman, will head the ministry of youth and sport. Gen Salifou Mody, ex-chief of army staff and number two in the junta, is the defence chief. Gen Mohamed Toumba was named interior minister.
Bakery Yaou Sangaré, a career diplomat selected by Mr Bazoum in March as Niger’s permanent representative to the UN, will serve as foreign minister. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2023