We'll kill ousted Bazoum if ECOWAS deploys military force - Niger coupists

Advertisements

Leaders of the Niger military leaders have threatened to kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) goes ahead to apply military force to the country to restore democracy.

Top officials of the Nigerien military junta reportedly told a top U.S. diplomat that they would kill the deposed Bazoum if the regional bloc attempted a military intervention to restore democratic rule, the Associated Press reports.

The reports stated that a Western military official, while speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the representatives of the junta told the U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to kill Bazoum during her visit to the country this week.

“Two Western officials told The Associated Press shortly before the West African bloc ECOWAS said it had directed the deployment of a “standby force” to restore democracy in Niger, after its deadline of Sunday to reinstate Bazoum expired.

“The threat to the deposed president raises the stakes both for ECOWAS and for the junta, which has shown its willingness to escalate its actions since it seized power on July 26,” the report stated

Aneliese Bernard, a former U.S. State Department official who specialized in African affairs and is now director of Strategic Stabilization Advisors, a risk advisory group, while speaking with AP reporters on the situation in the country, said:

“The threats from both sides escalate tensions but hopefully nudge them closer to actually talking. Still, this junta has escalated its moves so quickly that it’s possible they do something more extreme, as that has been their approach so far.”