Niamey (Agencies): The National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland in Niger, which assumed power through a military coup, has denounced the military pact with France and announced the immediate suspension of all military cooperation agreements with France. This includes the deal that led to the deployment of around 1,500 French troops in the Sahel country.
In response to the recent coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued an ultimatum for Niger to restore the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum by Friday or face a potential military intervention. Nigeria, Niger’s southern neighbor, has reportedly begun assembling troops on the border. A Nigerian delegation led by Abdulsalami Abubakar, a retired general and former head of Nigeria’s military government, arrived in Niamey for talks with the junta.
Meanwhile, Mali and Burkina Faso have stated that they would consider any invasion of Niger as an act of war against themselves. In contrast, Senegal has declared its intention to join an ECOWAS intervention against Niger, with Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall calling the coup “one coup too many.”
The junta in Niger has firmly rejected all sanctions and threats and remains determined to defend the nation’s independence. They have warned neighboring countries against any aggression towards Niger and expressed their resolve to uphold their sovereignty.