COUP: Ousted Niger President Breaks Silence, Appeals For Foreign Support Against Soldiers

The ousted President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum, as well as the country’s Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Hassoumi Massoudou, has called for “safeguard” of democracy and defeat of soldiers who overthrew his government.

A coup d’Etat in Niger Republic began on Wednesday morning at the presidential palace, leading to Bazoum’s detention by a unit of soldiers known as the Presidential Guard (PG).

The PG claimed to be disgruntled with the political leadership of the country.

The ECOWAS Commission, which is West Africa’s Regional Bloc, had urged the coup plotters to free the president without any condition.

The call by the ECOWAS Commission and other international partners apparently fell on deaf ears as top soldiers converged at the country’s national television station on Wednesday to announce the overthrow of the democratic government of Mohamed Bazoum.

Having seized power, the soldiers whose statement was read by Colonel Amadou Abdramane, closed the country’s borders and announced a nationwide curfew while warning against foreign intervention in favour of the ousted leader.

He said they took the step to “put an end to the regime that you know due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance.”

Afterwards, the ousted government’s foreign minister, Massoudou, in a tweet, appealed “to all democrats, to all patriots, to defeat this adventure which carries all the dangers for our country. Long live democracy, long live Niger.”

The ousted President also put out a tweet calling for the safeguard of democracy.

“The hard won achievements will be safeguarded. All Nigerians who love democracy and freedom will see to it,” he stated.