Niger’s putschists on Monday accused former colonial ruler France of wanting to “intervene militarily” to reinstate the country’s elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who was deposed in a military coup last week.
The coup leaders, who have confined Bazoum to the presidential palace since Wednesday, claimed Niger‘s toppled government had authorised France to carry out strikes at the presidency to try to free Bazoum.
“In its search for ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France with the complicity of some Nigeriens, held a meeting with the chief of staff of the Nigerien national guard to obtain the necessary political and military authorisation needed,” said a statement read out on national television.
Responding to the allegations, the French foreign ministry said it was focused on guaranteeing the security of its nationals, a day after thousands of demonstrators rallied outside the country’s embassy in Niamey, setting a door to the embassy ablaze.
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed “immediate” action if French citizens or interests were attacked in Niger.
Anti-French sentiment runs high in some former African colonies as the continent becomes a renewed diplomatic battleground, with Russian and Chinese influence growing.
France has some 1,500 troops in the West African nation, which is one of its last allies in the Sahel region, after French forces had to withdraw from neighbouring Mali earlier this year.
Following Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger has become the third country in the Sahel to be undermined by jihadist attacks linked to the Islamic State (IS) group and al Qaeda.
EU to hold coup leaders ‘responsible’ for embassy attacks
Earlier on Monday, the European Union warned that it would hold Niger’s putschists responsible for all attacks on civilians, diplomatic personnel and embassies.
The EU will also “quickly and resolutely” apply the decision of West African leaders to apply economic sanctions on Niger following the military coup, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.
West African leaders on Sunday gave the coup leaders in Niger one week to cede power, warning they did not rule out the “use of force” and imposing immediate financial sanctions.
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded the “immediate release and reinstatement” of Bazoum and his government.
“In the event the authorities’ demands are not met within one week (ECOWAS will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force. For this effect, the chiefs of defence staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately,” the bloc said in a statement after a summit in Abuja, Nigeria.
ECOWAS announced the “suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger”, which is part of the bloc, as well as halting energy transactions.
It said it was freezing Niger’s assets in ECOWAS central and commercial banks and imposing a “travel ban and asset freeze for the military officials involved in the coup attempt”.
Niger coup sanctions: EU and France cut off aid, US threatens to do same
The president of Chad, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, was in Niger on Sundayto help resolve the crisis in the country, a Chad government spokesman told AFP.
Itno was in the capital Niamey “to see what he could bring to solving the crisis”, Aziz Mahamat Saleh said, adding that the trip was on the initiative of Chad, which neighbours Niger.
