West African Nations Threaten To Use Force If The President Of Niger Is Not Reinstated

West African countries have threatened to use force if the coup leaders in Niger do not comply with their demands and have given them one week to restore the country’s democratically elected president.

The declaration was made after an emergency summit of West African nations held on Sunday in Nigeria by the ECOWAS regional bloc in response to last week’s military coup.

President Mohamed Bazoum is still detained at home and hasn’t submitted his resignation.

“In the event, the authority’s demands are not met within one week, (the bloc will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force,” said the statement.

Additionally, the group enacted severe measures, including the freezing of assets in regional central banks and the suspension of all business and financial dealings between ECOWAS members and Niger.

According to the most recent UN data, Nigeriens, who reside in the third-poorest nation in the world, might suffer greatly from economic sanctions. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, up to 90% of the nation’s power imports come from Nigeria.

Niger needs to find a way to avoid the penalties because they might be terrible, Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou told Radio France Internationale on Sunday.

“When people say there’s an embargo, land borders are closed, air borders are closed, it’s extremely difficult for people … Niger is a country that relies heavily on the international community,” he said.

If the regional bloc uses force, it could trigger violence not only between Niger and ECOWAS forces but also civilians supporting the coup and those against it, Niger analysts say.

“While this remains to be a threat and unlikely action, the consequences on civilians of such an approach if putschists chose confrontation would be catastrophic,” said Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Centre for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank.

Lyammouri also said he does not see a “military intervention happening because of the violence that could trigger.”

Along with the group, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded the immediate release of Mr. Bazoum and his family.

The military junta is already repressing the administration and civil rights after seizing control on Wednesday when members of the presidential guard raided Mr. Bazoum’s home and detained him.

According to a Nigerien analyst who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, it detained four government officials on Sunday night, including Foumakoye Gado, the head of the ruling party, and Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, the minister of petroleum and son of the late president Mahamadou Issoufou. It also detained Kassoum Moctar, the minister of education.

Col Maj Amadou Abdramane, a junta spokesman, announced on state television that all government vehicles must be returned by noon on Monday. He also forbade the use of social media to disseminate comments that were detrimental to state security.

Additionally, he asserted that Mr. Bazoum’s government had given the French permission to conduct strikes to liberate Mr. Bazoum.

Thousands of pro-junta supporters came to the streets in the nation’s capital, Niamey, on Sunday in anticipation of the ECOWAS decision, criticizing the country’s previous colonial ruler, France, brandishing Russian flags, and urging the world community to stay away.