Military Chief of the Niger Republic Warns Against Any Attack

“If an attack were launched against us, it would not be the breeze some people seem to think it would be.”

The new military leader of Niger announced on Saturday that the transition of power would not last more than three years and that anyone participating in an attack on the nation would not have it easy.

In a televised speech, General Abdourahamane Tiani stated, “Our ambition is not to seize power.” Any change in leadership “would not last longer than three years,” he claimed.

He continued, nevertheless, “If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think.”

Additionally, he declared that “ECOWAS is getting ready to attack Niger by setting up an occupying army in collaboration with a foreign army,” although he did not specify which nation he was referring to.

After a delegation from the West African ECOWAS group arrived in the nation, Tiani issued a warning before determining whether to use military force against the nation’s new military authorities.

They visited Mohamed Bazoum, the former president, who had been imprisoned along with his family at the presidential mansion since his overthrow on July 26 by members of his personal guard.

In case ongoing talks with the coup leaders are unsuccessful, the defence chiefs of ECOWAS met this week to finalise plans for a future military intervention to reinstall Bazoum.

In his 12-minute statement, Tiania criticised the “illegal” and “inhuman” sanctions ECOWAS had imposed on Niger since the military overthrew the government.

A 30-day period of “national dialogue” to develop “concrete proposals” to set the groundwork for “a new constitutional life” was also proclaimed by him.

AFP