Niger Coup: International Pressure Mounts on Plotters to Release Bazoum

The international community has continued to mount pressure on the Nigerien Presidential Guard to release the country’s president, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since Wednesday morning.

The United States in a statement by the White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan condemned the development in Niger, warning that it would not condone efforts to detain or subvert the functioning of Niger’s democratically elected government.

Sullivan added that the White House was monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of U.S. citizens.

Economic Community of West African States earlier released a statement in reaction to the “attempted coup” saying it “condemns in the strongest terms the attempt to seize power by force”.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu who is also the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government after a meeting with Benin Republic President Patrice Talon said the sub-regional block would deploy “all means necessary” to restore constitutional order in Niger.

Tinubu while speaking with journalists after the closed door meeting said Talon has been assigned to immediately go to Niger to mediate the governance crisis in that country.

The African Union, European Union and France have all condemned the attempted coup and called for the release of the president.

The United Nations also said its Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres spoke with President Bazoum to express full support.

“This afternoon @antonioguterres spoke to @mohamedbazoum. He expressed his full support and solidarity to the Nigerien President,” a UN spokesman said in a statement on Twitter.

The presidential guard headed by Gen. Tchiany had on Wednesday morning seized the president and cordoned off the president’s office and residence.

The country’s military which has refused to back the coup plotters has given them an ultimatum to release the president or risk an attack.

Reuters reports that soldiers had taken control of all roads leading to the national television station, which aired a brief news segment on Wednesday evening saying the situation remained unclear.

Crowds of Bazoum supporters gathered outside the national assembly in Niamey to call for the president’s release before they were dispersed by police, said a Reuters reporter.