On July 26, members of the Nigerien presidential guard said in a statement broadcast on national television that they had overthrown Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, closed the borders and imposed a curfew in the country "until further notice."
Initially, Bazoum's office claimed that the army did not support the rebels, but later the command of the Nigerien Armed Forces declared solidarity with the guard.
The French press suggested that Bazoum's plan to dismiss Presidential Guard Commander Omar Chiani could be the reason behind the mutiny.
On July 28, the commander of the presidential guard, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, appeared on Niger state TV as the head of the newly formed National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland.
On July 30, The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa – gave Niger's de facto government one week to return the detained president to power or it could use "all measures," including military, to restore "order" in the country. Furthermore, ECOWAS halted all financial aid to Niger, froze the assets of those behind the mutiny, their families and supporters, and imposed a ban on commercial flights to and from the country. France and the EU also cut off financial aid to Niger.
Thousands of people took to the streets of the Nigerien capital of Niamey on Sunday, protesting against France and ECOWAS. Protesters were chanting slogans in support of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a Nigerien news portal reported, adding that the main part of the march had taken place in front of the French embassy in the African country's capital.
The new Nigerien leadership called upon people to protest against France – which held Niger colonized for over 60 years – and ECOWAS, citing the possibility of the Western-led military invasion.
On July 31, Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane, one of the participants of the military takeover, alleged on Nigerien state television that the ousted government had authorized France to conduct an attack on the presidential palace in a bid to free Bazoum. Abdramane said that the authorization in question was signed by former Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou. France rushed to reject the allegations.
The ousted president of Niger is still being held in residence. Bazoum is "fine" and "feeling well," as Musa Faki Mahamat, the chairman of the African Union Commission, told Sputnik.
What Could Lead to Military Takeover?
The trouble seems to have been brewing for a few years being largely prompted by the national discontent with France's Operation Barkhane. On November 27, 2021, at least two people were killed and 18 injured in western Niger when protesters clashed with a French military convoy.
On September 18, 2022, Nigeriens took to the streets of Niamey, with some of the protesters carrying Russian flags and placards saying "criminal French Army - get out" and "The colonial army of Barkhane must go".
France has beefed up its military presence in Sahel since January 2013 when they dispatched a military contingent in the region with a stated aim of halting the advance of a coalition of Tuareg rebel and Islamist fighters in Mali. A total of 5,500 French troops were deployed in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Mauritania under the pretext of counter-terrorist operation.
The intervention came on the heels of the 2011 destruction of Libya by NATO. Following the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi’s government by NATO-backed rebels, the power vacuum saw greater destabilization in the region.
As Paris' Operation Barkhane – kicked off in 2014 – largely failed to reach its objectives and triggered a backlash from African leaders France decided to withdraw its troops from Mali in June 2021 and completed the pull-out in August 2022 bringing most of its forces to Niger. Niger was turned into France's new military hub with close to a thousand soldiers based in Niamey. Nigeriens and other Sahel nations, including Mali and Burkina Faso kicked off protests against the French military presence in the region. Bazoum's close ties with the French leadership could have been behind the public discontent with the president.
Who Has Most Strongly Condemned the Takeover?
Western leaders raised alarm over the military takeover in Niger with the US and France being most vocal. Washington and Paris have been maintaining military presence in the country. There are about 1,000 US troops and 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger under the pretext of conducting counter-terrorism operations in the region. The US and French authorities have placed emphasis on "restoration" of "democracy" in Niger and bringing Bazoum back to power.
What Could Be Behind West's Support of Bazoum?
Bazoum has served as president since winning the presidential ticket in February 2021 after gaining over 55% of voter ballots. He had previously served as the country's interior minister between 2016 and 2020.
Bazoum has long been regarded as one of a few pro-Western leaders in the Sahel region thus making Niger a key ally for Western nations.
Bazoum was also the only leader among Sahel rulers who shared a room with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during a virtual G5 Sahel meeting in July, 2021. The pivot to Niger was highlighted by Macron again in February 2022, according to the French press that called the strategy a "marriage of convenience," adding that Paris has "little choice." However, despite boosting relations with Niamey, France has failed to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Nigeriens, as African observers told Sputnik in September 2022.
Why is Niger Important for France?
France is seeking to maintain its presence in Niger because the land-locked sub-Saharan nation possesses the world's seventh biggest producer of uranium. Uranium, which was discovered in Niger by the French Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minières (BRGM) in 1957, is mined close to the towns of Arlit and Akokan, 900 kilometers northeast of Niamey.
Niger's uranium fields have long been exploited by Areva (now Orano), a French multinational group specializing in nuclear power. Areva (Orano) extracts around 3,000 tons of uranium per year in Niger. This uranium provides a third of the annual needs of French nuclear power plants. France is one of the most nuclear-powered countries in the world. The European nation derives over 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy with its fleet of 56 nuclear reactors. Given that Mali, Burkina-Faso and now Niger are pushing for the French ouster from the region, Paris and its energy companies may face a serious dilemma.
Why is Niger Important for the US?
The US has maintained its military presence in Niger for over a decade to support the Nigerien government and French military in counter-terrorism operations against militant groups in Niger.
The US troops were deployed in the Sahel back in 2006 within the framework of Operation Juniper Shield, formerly known as Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara (OEF-TS) envisaging counterterrorism efforts and policing of arms and drug trafficking across central Africa. This program was built upon the former Pan Sahel Initiative (PSI), which concluded in December 2004 and focused on weapon and drug trafficking, as well as counterterrorism.
What's more, the US maintains two drone bases in Niger to collect intelligence over the Sahel and Eastern Africa, all the way from Sudan to Mali, north to Libya and south to Nigeria. The US mainstream press calls Niger "a US platform" for intelligence collection.
Who Has Recognized the De Facto Nigerien Government?
Guinea has become the first country to support the military takeover in Niger. The Guinean National Committee of Reconciliation and Development announced that it is convinced that the new de facto Nigerien government would do everything possible to guarantee stability and consent in Niger and in the subregion.
The Guinean government also warned that ECOWAS sanctions imposed against Niger cannot be an "option to solve the problem, but can cause a humanitarian disaster, which can expand beyond the Nigerien borders."
The Burkina Faso and Mali transitional governments said in a joint statement that they support the new de facto leadership of Niger and warned that any military intervention against Niger would amount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali. Burkina Faso and Mali also stated that they would withdraw ECOWAS if the latter resorted to a military intervention against Niger.
Why Do Nigeriens Carry Russian Flags?
The warnings issued by Mali and Burkina Faso against any military intervention in Niger are primarily addressed at France which is still striving to maintain control over the region, as Igor Shatrov, head of the Expert Council of the Strategic Development Fund, told Radio Sputnik.
"Now the pro-Western, pro-French president of Niger has been overthrown," said Shatrov. "Of course, we do not know all the details, but I think that there has not been any Russian participation in this military takeover. And the Russian flags there are a reflection of the public mood. This is the spirit that floats in the air - Russia as an alternative to the West. In general, a very interesting phenomenon that is currently being observed in Africa: the revival of pro-Russian and pro-Soviet sentiments. I think we should also make a similar statement in relation to France, about non-interference in the internal affairs of African countries. We must support the position of the independence of African states, and support the principle 'African problems - African solutions'."