Niger coup not ‘final,’ says France as army backs putsch
The coup attempt in Niger is not yet “final,” France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Friday.
Both France and detained Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum had previously stressed that not all soldiers had participated in or supported what Bazoum called a “coup bid.”
“If you hear me talking about an attempted coup, it’s because we don’t consider things final, there is still a way out if those responsible listen to the international community,” Colonna said while on a diplomatic visit to Papua New Guinea in the Pacific.
DW West Africa correspondent Olisa Chukwumah said it remains unclear who has control in Niger.
“If you look at a situation right now, almost 48 hours since Wednesday’s coup was started by the Presidential Guard, it does seem that the coup is not complete,” Chukwumah said
“If Bazoum is no longer in charge and the military says the regime that they know is no longer, who is in charge?” he added. “That is the big question many are asking right now in Niger.”
France sees Bazoum as a key ally in the Sahel region, and it has stationed 1,500 troops in the country to combat Islamist insurgents.
Niger gained independence from France in 1960. It is one of the poorest countries in the world and has long been a key source of uranium for its former colonizer.
Niger army chief backs coup
On Thursday, the head of Niger’s armed forces, Abdou Sidikou Issa, threw his support behind the mutinous soldiers.
“The military command… has decided to subscribe to the declaration made by the defense and security forces… in order to avoid a deadly confrontation,” he said in a statement.
The army also warned the international community against intervening.
“All foreign military intervention of whatever kind poses the risk of disastrous and uncontrollable consequences for our population and the chaos of our country,” it said in a statement.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which Niger is a member, on Wednesday sent a representative to assess the situation and aid with mediation.
The bloc will likely meet on Sunday to discuss potential sanctions, Colonna said.
What’s the situation on the ground in Niger?
News of the coup attempt sparked multiple demonstrations in the capital, Niamey, on Wednesday and Thursday.
The headquarters of Bazoum’s party was torched, and other protesters demonstrated outside the National Assembly.
Some protesters held signs condemning the ouster of Niger’s democratically-elected president, while other protesters, who waved Russian flags and shouted anti-French slogans, told reporters that they support the attempted military coup.
Christoph Schmid, a member of the German parliament who reports on the EU Military Partnership Mission in Niger, said he is skeptical of the motives of some protesters.
“Demonstrators can be bought,” he told DW’s Sarah Kelly on Friday.
“We saw this in the region. We saw this in Mali, we saw this now in Niger.”
“I’m not too sure about what we really see with demonstrators burning French flags. Are they really aware of the European footprint with development? Are they really aware of what they get from Russia? Because they do not get partnership from Russia.”
Later on Thursday, Niger’s Interior Ministry issued a directive on state TV banning public demonstrations. It also condemned the vandalism.
“Public demonstrations, for whatever reason, are and will remain banned until further notice,” the ministry said.
Bazoum ‘in good health’
Meanwhile, Bazoum remains in detention but is reportedly in good health, according to the French foreign minister.
She added that he had again spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.
“He is reachable, he also said that he is in good health,” Colonna said.
It is not immediately clear who would take power if the coup succeeds.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that General Omar Tchiani, the head of the presidential guard that initially detained Bazoum, could take over the leadership of a military council.