General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the coup plotters in Niger Republic said on Sunday evening that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to declare war on their group within a week.
ECOWAS has been closely monitoring the situation in Niger and has expressed its strong condemnation of the attempted overthrow of the government and on Sunday gave the junta one week to cede power back to President Mohamed Bazoum or face crippling measures to enforce their resolution.
But General Tchiani, in rallying his supporters, revealed that the junta are expecting to receive heavy weapons from their Russian allies.
Moreover, General Tchiani issued a stern warning to Nigeriens who may be collaborating with ECOWAS or the government they attempted to overthrow, declaring them as enemies.
In a statement read on Niger Republic’s national television, the Military Spokesperson, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, said: “The objective of the ECOWAS meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are non-members of ECOWAS, and certain Western countries.”
The revelations of collaborators raises concerns about potential internal divisions and the risk of further violence within the country while the Russian angle adds a new layer of complexity to the crisis arising from the military uprising, potentially escalating the conflict and further straining diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation peacefully.
The Nigerien military leaders warned ECOWAS not to take the risk of sending to the country.
General Tchiani, also known as Omar Tchiani, and chief of Niger’s Presidential Guard, declared himself leader while the country’s elected President Bazoum, has been held by the military since the coup took place last Wednesday.
During the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the regional body issued a seven-day ultimatum to the military junta in Niger to reinstate President Bazoum as democratically elected President or face a range of stiff sanctions.
It also tasked all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member-states to proceed for an emergency meeting to strategize on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore constitutional order to office.
ECOWAS, which recognised Bazoum as the legitimate President of the nation, threatened to impose land border closures and no-fly zone conditions on Niger Republic should the military coup masterminds fail to heed its ultimatum.
According to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, who read the communiqué, the body “call for the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum as President and Head of State of the Republic of Niger and for the full restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
“Reject any form of resignation that may purportedly come from His Excellency, President Mohamed Bazoum; considered the illegal detention of President Bazoum as a hostage situation and hold the authors of the attempted coup that are solely and fully responsible for the safety and security of His Excellency President Mohammed Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government.
“In the event the Authority’s demands are not met within one week, take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Nigeria.
“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Asia.
“Freeze all service transactions including energy transactions. Freeze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank.
“Freeze of assets of the Niger State and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.
“Suspension of measure from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID.”