General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who orchestrated a coup to overthrow President Mohamed Bazoum and assumed control of Niger’s government, has put forth a proposal to restore democracy within a span of three years.
The junta head said that Niger did not want a war but would defend itself against any foreign intervention.
“If an attack were to be undertaken against us, it will not be the walk in the park some people seem to think,” he warned in his televised address on Saturday evening.
Gen Tchiani reaffirmed his condemnation of the sanctions imposed by Ecowas, which he characterized as “illegitimate and inhumane.” These sanctions have included measures such as electricity cuts, leading to power outages in Niamey and other major urban centers, as well as the disruption of vital imports.
As a consequence, truck drivers have been stranded for weeks, unable to deliver essential supplies, causing a surge in food prices.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned of the possibility of military intervention if diplomatic negotiations prove unsuccessful in reversing the coup that occurred last month, resulting in the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Regional initiatives aimed at overturning the coup have garnered support from the United States and France, both of which maintain military bases in Niger. These bases are instrumental in the joint efforts to combat jihadist organizations across the broader Sahel region.
The leader of the junta, who previously headed the presidential guard before assuming power on July 26th, cautioned that military intervention might exacerbate the ongoing Islamist insurgencies associated with groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.